Some occupations are inherently more risky, but even a job at Starbucks can end in misery if you are involved in an unexpected accident while at work. Thankfully, most, if not all, employers protect their employees with workers’ compensation insurance. This helps to pay for hospital bills or any other medical costs as well as at least a part of any lost earnings. The employer benefits too, because injured or sick workers are unable to file private personal injury claims against their employers as long as they are covered by workers’ comp. If you are confused about your rights, talk to an attorney. Company Profile for Starbucks It’s probably safe to say that few people around the world don’t know what Starbucks sells, even if they have never had a coffee in one of their coffee shops. Starbucks started up in Seattle, Washington and expanded rapidly. Its over 24,000 coffee shops are found in city centers, suburban shopping malls, airports and highway service stations all over the world. Coffee shops, like restaurants, tend to be quite labor intensive. Most Starbucks workers are employed to serve the public, make coffees, cook snacks and keep the whole area clean and neat. Many Starbucks shops are open long hours, often 24/7, so that many people are employed. As of 2016, 238,000 people were employed with Starbucks. Burn Injuries Can Prevent Normal Work Routines The main workplace injuries at a Starbucks are slips and falls, burns and scalds. Any of these can be serious and prevent a fast return to work. Starbucks workers often work under pressure, especially when there are a lot of customers. Burns from hot espresso machines and scalds from steam and hot liquids are quite common injuries. Very minor burn injuries may need no more than bandaging, but more severe injuries may prevent use of machines and the ability to do a normal day’s work. All serious burn injuries require immediate medical treatment, a course of antibiotics to prevent infection and in the worse cases, surgery to renew burned skin. All of this means at least some justified time off work. A workers’ compensation claim can help to alleviate the financial cost to the worker of a burns injury. What Kinds of Burns Could You Sustain While Working at a Coffee Shop? If you work at Starbucks, you could be hurt while working. All jobs have risks, including those at Starbucks. If you are burned while on the job, you can pursue a workers’ compensation claim to cover your medical expenses and lost wages from the workplace accident. There are many ways that you could be burned while on the job, and there are different kinds of burns that you may suffer while working at Starbucks. There are thermal burns and electrical burns. Both of these burns are painful and can be very serious in nature. As an example, an employee could suffer a thermal burn. A thermal burn is a burn that results from coming into contact with a heated object, such as boiling water, hot oil, hot objects, fire, or steam. If hot coffee spills on you, or if you are burned by the steam from the boiling water, then you have suffered a thermal burn. Electrical burns are skin burns that happen when your body comes into contact with the electricity. The electricity can then travel throughout your body. When this happens, your internal organs and bodily tissues can suffer damages. This could be mild or severe damage, or it can even lead to death. As an example, you may be using a coffee maker or some other appliance and suffer electrical shock or even electrocution. These are forms of electrical burns. Levels of Different Burns by Degree That You Could Sustain There are different levels of burns. The severity of the burn impacts the level that it is given. Here is a breakdown of the different degrees of burns. First-degree burns – First-degree burns only affect the outer layer of skin. These burns can be very painful, and the cause redness and swelling. Second-degree burns – These burns affect both the outer layer of skin and the underlying layer of skin. These burns are extremely painful and cause blistering, redness, and swelling. These are sometimes referred to as partial thickness burns. Third-degree burns – Third-degree burns are the most serious and affect the third layer of skin. They are also referred to as full thickness burns. These cause the burned skin to be blackened or white. The skin may be numb, but the victim may experience unbearable pain. Burns are bunched into two groups. Minor burns are first degree burns that are anywhere on the body or second degree burns that are less than 2 or 3 inches wide. Major burns include third degree burns and second degree burns that are more than 2 to 3 inches wide. Any second degree burns that are one the feet, face, groin, hands, buttocks, or across a major joint is a major burn. You can suffer more than one kind of burn in a single accident. If you have suffered severe burns, you should seek urgent medical care. The faster you get care, the sooner you can get on the road to recovery. Immediate treatment can help you prevent deformities, disabilities, or scarring. If you have suffered burns on the face, genitals, feet, or hands, it can be especially serious. How to Put a Value on a Starbucks Burns Injury When calculating the value of compensation claimed for a burns injury it is important to include each and every separate cost related to treating the burn. This might mean an ambulance, hospital treatment, taking medications, follow up check-ups, any surgery if the burn is serious and associated travel costs. The other component of a burns injury claim will be the compensation for lost earnings while absent from work as a result of the injury. The allowance is around two thirds of the total amount that might have been normally earned. For a coffee shop worker earning $10 an hour and working a 30 hour weekly shift, this would mean a claim for $200 for each week off work. This injury period will vary significantly from injury to injury. What To Do After A Burn Injury If you have suffered burns while working at Starbucks, you should seek medical care right away. Immediate care is imperative to the healing process. Untreated burns can lead to infections and can cause more severe scarring. Even what seems like a minor burn can lead to serious complications. You should not wait. Electrical burns could cause internal injuries and damage that you aren’t aware of right away. Also, you will need to show that the injury was caused by your work responsibilities. If you delay medical treatment, the workers’ compensation insurance company will try to deny your claim and allege that the injury happened away from your work. If your injuries are serious, ask for an ambulance to be called. Often, serious burns lead to transport to a burn center. Burn injuries can be complicated, and they require treatment from a specialist. You will need to adhere to doctor’s orders, keeping the burns clean and properly bandaged. Infection is a serious risk, and burns can even lead to your death. Be sure to tell a supervisor or human resources as soon as possible. They must make an accident report. You should jot down notes about the accident that caused your burns while it is fresh in your memory. Ask any witnesses to write down detailed statements, and check to see if the incident was caught by a surveillance video. Most likely, a camera somewhere in the store caught some or part of your accident. If you are transported by ambulance, just go to the nearest hospital and let them get you the car you need. If you go by private vehicle, you may have to see an in-network physician. Employers usually have a list of workers’ comp physicians and care providers posted in a visible area, such as near a time clock or in a break room. If you don’t see a list, ask your manager for a copy. You don’t want to end up having to cover the costs of your medical care out of pocket. Keep copies of physician notes, medical records, and medical bills. Keep track of mileage to and from medical appointments. Also, document missed work and lost wages along with copies of medical excuses. Be sure to continue with the follow-up care and listen to what your healthcare provider tells you. You want to recover as well as you possibly can. If you return to work when the doctor releases you, but you experience problems, be sure to contact the doctor and return to be checked to see if there are additional problems or complications that should be addressed. If there are more issues, be sure to notify your employer of the changes. You should get your workers’ compensation claim underway in a timely manner. Contact an Attorney if the Claim Process Becomes Frustrating If you have been genuinely injured at work you should be entitled to workers’ compensation, but the whole process can be frustrating, especially because it is likely to be the first and hopefully only time that a claim is filed. If you are confused about your rights, or what to do or you have had problems with the payment, it is always a good idea to contact a workers’ comp. attorney for legal help. *Disclaimer The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Starbucks, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
