How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 31 severe cases involving internal organs over the last decade. You should know that 90 percent of these incidents involve direct trauma to internal organs and major blood vessels, which often require immediate medical intervention.
Damage to internal organs is life-altering because these injuries frequently involve critical systems like your liver or spleen. Such trauma often limits your physical capacity for months or years, impacting your ability to return to demanding manual labor.
How these injuries happen
Most internal organ injuries occur when you are struck by heavy objects or caught between machinery. Falling objects account for 16 percent of these severe incidents, often causing blunt force trauma to your abdomen. When equipment is not properly guarded or when vehicles are operated in tight spaces, your risk of being crushed or struck by propelled materials increases significantly.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Struck by falling object | 5 |
| 2 | Other fall to lower level | 3 |
| 3 | Fall on same level | 3 |
| 4 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 2 |
| 5 | Nonroadway collision with object other than vehicle | 2 |
| 6 | Fall to lower level from collapsing structure or equipment | 2 |
| 7 | Struck by running powered equipment— n.e.c. | 1 |
| 8 | Compressed between running equipment and other object(s) | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing and construction each account for 19 percent of these severe internal injuries. In these environments, the combination of heavy machinery, moving vehicles, and high-pressure tasks creates a constant risk of impact. You are frequently exposed to hazards where a single equipment failure or safety lapse can lead to life-threatening abdominal trauma.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports involve you being pinned by heavy equipment, struck by falling materials, or injured by malfunctioning tools. These incidents often occur during routine tasks like loading trucks or operating lifts, where a momentary lapse in safety protocols leads to severe physical harm. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specifics of your case.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | MT | Accommodation & Food Services | "An employee was coaching a bike lesson. Their handlebar clipped a tree, rotated, and struck their left side. This caused the employee to fall, and they were hospitalized with a ruptured spleen." | |
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "An employee was positioning a form brace before using a nail gun to secure it in place. The employee set his nail gun down on a rebar form, and when he picked it up, it discharged a nail that penetrated his abdomen. The employee required surgery to repair his stomach." | |
| 2025 | PA | Arts & Entertainment | "An employee was loading snow guns and jacks onto a dump-style truck. The truck was parked on an incline and the door closed on the employee. The employee was hospitalized for contusions and a lacerated liver." | |
| 2025 | PA | Administrative Services | "An employee was removing a storm damaged tree from a utility wire. After making his final cut he began to retreat. The log rolled, striking the employee and rolling over his legs. The employee sustained a laceration to his liver and bruising to his lower legs." | |
| 2025 | MS | Manufacturing | "An employee was ascending in an aerial lift. He was pinned between the lift's control panel and the hull of a ship, suffering injuries to the liver and spleen." | |
| 2025 | PA | Education | "An employee was driving a vehicle through a tunnel on a campus road to the dumpsters. The bed was elevated and contacted the tunnel structure. The employee sustained a lacerated pancreas and a dislocated shoulder. " | |
| 2025 | NJ | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was traveling to the cold dock on an electric pallet jack when the pallet jack struck an automatic roll-up door that had not completely opened. The employee was hospitalized with an abrasion to the face and a lacerated liver." | |
| 2025 | OH | Manufacturing | "Two maintenance workers were troubleshooting an actuator. They removed the end covers to check for air leakage around the piston head. When they connected an air hose to the side of the actuator and applied pressure, the piston head blew out of its housing. It struck one of the employees in the chest, causing the employee to fall to the ground. The employee suffered an abdomen contusion, resulting in a laceration to the liver, and was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | MO | Manufacturing | "An employee was walking between buildings, tripped and fell. The employee was hospitalized for a ruptured spleen that required surgery. " | |
| 2025 | MO | Construction | "An employee was pouring concrete. The hose clogged and then whipped around and struck the employee in the abdomen. The employee sustained liver damage and internal bleeding." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Recovery times vary significantly depending on the specific organ damaged and the severity of the trauma. You may require multiple surgeries and extensive physical rehabilitation before you can safely return to your previous duties. An attorney can help you document your medical progress to ensure your benefits reflect the full scope of your recovery needs.
Workers' Compensation is designed to cover all reasonable and necessary medical expenses related to your work-related injury, including emergency surgery and hospital stays. If your injury occurred while performing your job duties, your employer's insurance should pay for these costs. An attorney can help you verify that your medical bills are being processed correctly.
In most cases, Workers' Compensation acts as the primary remedy for your workplace injuries, which generally prevents you from suing your employer directly. However, if a third party or a defective product caused your injury, you may have grounds for a separate personal injury claim. An attorney can evaluate your situation to determine if you have legal options beyond standard Workers' Compensation.
If your claim is denied, you have the right to appeal the decision through the state Workers' Compensation board. Employers often deny claims by disputing whether your injury was work-related or by questioning the severity of the damage. An attorney can help you gather the necessary medical evidence and witness statements to challenge a denial and fight for the benefits you are owed.