How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 2,899 severe ankle injuries over the past decade, with fractures accounting for 82% of all incidents. These injuries often require surgery and extensive rehabilitation to restore basic function.
An ankle injury directly impacts your ability to stand, walk, and perform essential job tasks. This loss of mobility can lead to significant time away from work and long-term challenges in maintaining your previous earning capacity.
How these injuries happen
Falls are the primary driver of ankle injuries, with 30% of cases resulting from falls to a lower level. Whether you step off a ladder or lose your footing on a slick surface, these events often occur when employers fail to maintain safe walking and working surfaces.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other fall to lower level | 847 |
| 2 | Fall on same level | 770 |
| 3 | Struck by falling object | 216 |
| 4 | Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area | 165 |
| 5 | Nonroadway collision with object other than vehicle | 139 |
| 6 | Nonroadway noncollision incident | 87 |
| 7 | Struck by rolling powered vehicle or machinery | 84 |
| 8 | Slip, trip, stumble on same level— without fall | 72 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 18% of all severe ankle injuries, largely due to the high volume of heavy machinery and industrial vehicle traffic. You face constant risks from moving equipment and uneven floor surfaces that can easily lead to a crushing or twisting injury.
Real cases like yours
Many reported incidents involve you being struck by powered industrial trucks or losing your balance while navigating cluttered work areas. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident to determine if employer negligence played a role.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | NY | Manufacturing | "An employee was unwrapping a pallet of empty buckets. The employee stepped backward and was struck by a powered industrial truck carrying a pallet of bucket lids, resulting in a left ankle fracture." | |
| 2023 | TX | Administrative Services | "An employee was patrolling a store using an electric patrol scooter when they lost their balance and sustained an ankle fracture." | |
| 2023 | OK | Health Care | "An employee was entering a work station when her knee struck the desk and caused her to lose consciousness. The employee hit her head on the desk and fell from her chair to the floor. The employee sustained two fractures to an ankle." | |
| 2023 | PA | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was exiting a trailer for it to be loaded when their right ankle was pinned between a piece of angle iron that was anchored to the floor and a long pallet being pushed by a powered industrial truck (PIT). The employee sustained an ankle fracture and was hospitalized." | |
| 2023 | MA | Transportation & Warehousing | "On December 23, 2023, an employee was backing a piece of mail transport equipment (MTE). They stepped backward as a fork truck was passing by and the forks of the truck contacted the employee's right ankle, resulting in injury." | |
| 2023 | MO | Administrative Services | "An employee was walking back to her workstation. A forklift reversed a short distance, then completed a U-turn and struck her, running over her lower extremities. She was hospitalized with a broken ankle." | |
| 2023 | FL | Retail Trade | "An employee was using a standing forklift to pick product at ground level. He stepped off the vehicle to get an item from the bin. As the employee stepped back, his left foot contacted the pallet and his right foot became stuck between the pallet slats. He fell to the ground and sustained an ankle fracture." | |
| 2023 | FL | Agriculture | "An employee was tightening a bolt on a plow when they lost balance and fell to the ground. The employee sustained two fractures to their left ankle." | |
| 2023 | FL | Retail Trade | "An employee was carrying furniture backward during a delivery when he tripped and broke his right ankle." | |
| 2023 | WI | Wholesale Trade | "Employee 1 was operating a lift in a standing position. Employee 2 was operating a cherry picker and backing up through an aisle. The lift collided with the cherry picker and employee 1 fell off the lift after striking his right ankle on a wooden pallet that was on the cherry picker. The employee sustained a broken ankle." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Recovery time varies significantly based on the severity of your fracture and whether surgery is required. You may face months of physical therapy before you can return to full duty, and you may experience permanent limitations in range of motion. An attorney can help you understand how these recovery timelines affect your Workers' Compensation claim.
Workers' Compensation is designed to cover all reasonable and necessary medical expenses related to your work-related injury, including surgery and rehabilitation. If your employer or their insurance carrier denies coverage for these treatments, you have the right to challenge that decision. An attorney can help ensure your medical needs are fully documented and covered.
Employers are required to maintain safe premises and keep walking surfaces free of hazards under OSHA regulations. If a slip or trip on a wet or cluttered floor caused your injury, you may have a valid claim for benefits. An attorney can help you investigate the conditions of your workplace to build a strong case for your recovery.
If your ankle injury results in a permanent impairment that limits your ability to work or perform daily tasks, you may be entitled to permanent partial disability benefits. These benefits are calculated based on the severity of the loss and your specific job requirements. An attorney can help you evaluate your medical records to pursue the full compensation you deserve.