How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 42 severe cases involving the internal respiratory system over the last decade. The most frequent nature of these injuries involves damage to internal organs and major blood vessels, which often requires immediate surgical intervention and prolonged hospitalization.
Damage to your lungs directly impacts your ability to perform physical labor and maintain your long-term earning capacity. Because these injuries often involve internal trauma or systemic exposure, your recovery process is frequently complex and may require specialized medical care for years.
How these injuries happen
Inhalation of harmful substances is the leading cause of severe lung injuries, accounting for 28 percent of all reported incidents. These cases often stem from inadequate ventilation or failure to provide proper respiratory protection in environments where toxic compounds are present. Falls from heights and being struck by heavy equipment also frequently result in crushing chest trauma and lung contusions.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inhalation of harmful substance | 11 |
| 2 | Other fall to lower level | 6 |
| 3 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 3 |
| 4 | Exposure to harmful substances— unspecified | 3 |
| 5 | Nonroadway noncollision incident | 3 |
| 6 | Fall to lower level from collapsing structure or equipment | 3 |
| 7 | Stabbing, cutting, slashing by other person | 1 |
| 8 | Ski, snowboard, and sled incidents | 1 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing leads all sectors with 21 percent of severe lung injury reports. The high concentration of incidents in this industry is driven by the regular use of heavy machinery and the presence of airborne contaminants that require strict adherence to safety protocols. Construction and warehousing follow, where the risk of falls and struck-by incidents creates a constant threat to your respiratory health.
Real cases like yours
Many reported incidents involve you being pinned by heavy equipment, falling from heights, or suffering from sudden chest trauma during routine operations. These narratives reveal a pattern of equipment failure and inadequate safety barriers that leave you vulnerable to life-threatening internal injuries. 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | WI | Agriculture | "An employee entered a stall to free a cow caught in a milking parlor entrance. The safety gate closed, allowing the parlor to rotate. The employee was pinned between the stall divider and the gate, suffering a punctured lung." | |
| 2025 | OH | Health Care | "At about 6:00 p.m. on May 10, 2025, three employees were redirecting a nursing resident away from the kitchen. The resident pulled the injured employee's hair and shoved them to the ground. That employee was hospitalized with a collapsed lung." | |
| 2025 | ID | Public Administration | "An employee was engaged in initial smokejumper training which includes physical fitness testing, tree climbing training, chainsaw and crosscut certification, as well as initial introduction to equipment and smokejumper-specific safety procedures. Some of the training involves carrying 110 pounds of equipment. The employee reported tightness in his chest and difficulty breathing. The employee was hospitalized with a lung injury." | |
| 2025 | WI | Wholesale Trade | "An employee was operating a tractor and utilizing a 2.5-foot kinetic rope and a 1-inch soft shackle to pull another tractor that was stuck in the mud. An additional 30-foot kinetic rope with a soft shackle was hooked up to provide distance from the soft soil. While pulling, the loop end of the terminal shackle on the stuck tractor frayed and released the rope, causing it to recoil back at the pulling tractor. The rope(s) struck the back of the pull tractor, broke the rear window, and struck the employee. The employee was pushed forward into the steering wheel and sustained severe lacerations to the head and a collapsed lung." | |
| 2025 | MO | Information | "An employee climbed to the top of a ladder at a customer's house. The ladder shifted and the employee fell 28 feet to the ground. The employee was hospitalized for a lung contusion and a right foot contusion." | |
| 2025 | ID | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was exposed to grain dust (corn and wheat) while cleaning a soak bin without a dust mask. The employee was hospitalized for dust accumulation in their lungs. " | |
| 2025 | OK | Agriculture | "An employee was driving a backhoe that was hauling dirt to build a new pond. As he drove between the new pond and an existing pond, the wind blew dirt into his windshield and the backhoe veered off into the existing pond. The bed tipped over but the cab did not. The seat belt caused injuries to the employee's chest including bruised lungs." | |
| 2025 | MN | Professional Services | "At about 9:15 a.m. on March 10, 2025, an employee was riding along a hardpack snow-covered roadway on a snowmobile. The snowmobile went over a berm and tipped/rolled, causing the employee to fall to the ground. He suffered a collapsed left lung and was hospitalized." | |
| 2024 | PA | Retail Trade | "An employee was acting in a loss prevention capacity when they were stabbed in the abdomen with a knife by an individual. The employee sustained multiple stab wounds, one of which punctured his lung. Part of the knife broke off in his body, requiring surgery." | |
| 2024 | FL | Manufacturing | "The injured employee was holding the rafters at the roof build table area while a co-worker attached them to the roof frame using a pneumatic nailer. A four-inch nail ricocheted and pierced the employee's left shoulder resulting in injury to an artery and the left lung. " |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Yes, Workers' Compensation is designed to cover your medical expenses and lost wages for work-related injuries, including internal trauma to your lungs. If your injury occurred during the course of your employment, you are generally entitled to benefits regardless of fault. An attorney can help you document your medical records and ensure your claim is filed correctly.
If your claim is denied, you have the right to appeal the decision through your state Workers' Compensation board. Employers often dispute claims by arguing the injury was pre-existing or not work-related, making it essential to have clear medical evidence linking your condition to your job duties. An attorney can represent you during the appeals process to challenge the denial.
Injuries resulting from your inhalation of toxic substances are covered under Workers' Compensation if they occur in the workplace. OSHA has strict standards regarding air quality and respiratory protection, and a violation of these standards can be a critical piece of evidence for your case. An attorney can help you investigate whether your employer failed to provide necessary safety equipment.
Recovery times vary significantly based on the severity of your trauma, ranging from months of rehabilitation to permanent lifestyle adjustments. Because lung injuries can lead to long-term respiratory issues, it is vital to ensure your settlement accounts for your future medical needs and potential loss of future earnings. An attorney can help you evaluate the long-term impact of your injury on your career.