How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 272 severe jaw injuries over the last decade, with fractures accounting for 81% of all reported incidents. These injuries often involve complex breaks that require surgery, wiring, and long-term dental or oral reconstruction.
Damage to your jaw impacts basic functions like speaking, eating, and breathing. A serious facial injury can lead to permanent nerve damage or chronic pain, significantly affecting your ability to return to your previous role or maintain your standard of living.
How these injuries happen
Most jaw injuries result from sudden, high-impact events where your face is directly struck. Being struck by propelled objects or substances accounts for 16% of these cases, often occurring when machinery malfunctions or materials are handled improperly. Hitting, kicking, or beating by another person accounts for 15% of cases, while falls on the same level account for 12%.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 42 |
| 2 | Hitting, kicking, beating by other person | 38 |
| 3 | Fall on same level | 30 |
| 4 | Other fall to lower level | 22 |
| 5 | Struck by falling object | 20 |
| 6 | Struck by suspended or swinging object | 19 |
| 7 | Injured by object handled by person | 12 |
| 8 | Struck by propelled, falling, or suspended object— unspecified | 10 |
Where injuries happen most
Manufacturing accounts for 28% of all severe jaw injuries, followed by construction at 20%. These environments involve heavy machinery, high-pressure equipment, and moving parts that can strike you with immense force. When safety protocols like machine guarding or proper PPE are ignored, your face becomes a primary target for flying debris or swinging components.
Real cases like yours
Many reported incidents involve sudden, unexpected impacts from falling objects, equipment failure, or accidental falls that result in immediate facial trauma. These stories highlight how quickly a routine task can turn into a life-altering medical emergency. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you determine if employer negligence contributed to your injury.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | NJ | Wholesale Trade | "An employee had clocked out and was waiting for a ride when he stepped off a curb and fell forward onto the ground. The employee sustained a fractured jaw, requiring hospitalization and surgery." | |
| 2025 | PA | Construction | "An employee was moving an aerial lift across the mechanical room when he struck a hanging duct structure. The employee sustained lacerations to the face and a fractured jaw." | |
| 2025 | TX | Utilities | "On 6/11/2025, a lineman was removing a dead tree off of a powerline that had fallen due to thunderstorms. The employee cut the top of the tree to lessen the weight of the tree. He then hooked a jib line to the tree to lift it off the power line and place it on the ground. As he was moving his bucket into position, the tree shifted and fell, and the powerline released its tension. This caused a whipping effect and either the power line or the jib rope struck the employee's jaw. The employee was hospitalized with two fractures to his lower jaw." | |
| 2025 | SC | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was delivering a package to a house when a dog came through the storm door, jumped on the employee, and bit them in the lower jaw." | |
| 2025 | WI | Manufacturing | "An employee was working on a motorized screen when they fell approximately 3 feet from a step ladder to the ground. The employee sustained a face contusion and a fractured jaw." | |
| 2025 | MA | Construction | "An employee was cutting with a miter saw when it bounced back and cut his chin, resulting in hospitalization." | |
| 2025 | CT | Finance & Insurance | "An employee was walking in the office area when she tripped on cables on the floor. She fell and struck her face against the corner of a wall, resulting in a severe laceration to her jaw." | |
| 2025 | NY | Construction | "An employee was installing a metal plug into a machine. He was using a wrench to turn the metal plug a quarter turn more when the round plug weighing approximately 2 pounds failed and blew off from pressure, striking the employee in the face. The employee sustained facial lacerations and a fractured jaw." | |
| 2025 | FL | Construction | "An employee was conducting a pressure test of sewer laterals. The pressure gauge dropped to 0 PSI. The employee checked the pipe and wiggled it. A 6 to 8 inch pipe shot out of the ground and struck the employee's jaw/chin. The employee sustained a fracture to the jaw and a laceration to the bottom of the chin. The employee was hospitalized. " | |
| 2025 | FL | Construction | "An employee was walking around the site, inspecting the progress of a newly started project. The job was in the foundation stage and the upright rebar of the footings had just started to get placed and tied into the footers. The employee stepped over one of the footings and tripped. He landed on an upright rebar that punctured his lower jaw." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Recovery times vary based on the severity of your fracture and whether surgery was required to stabilize the bone. You may face months of restricted diets and physical therapy to regain full jaw function. An attorney can help you document these long-term recovery needs to ensure your claim accounts for future medical costs.
Workers' Compensation is generally a no-fault system, meaning you may be eligible for benefits regardless of who caused the incident. If you were injured by a CO-worker or during a workplace altercation, you should still report the incident to your employer immediately. An attorney can help you navigate the complexities of filing a claim when other parties are involved.
Employers are required under 29 CFR 1904.39 to report any work-related incident resulting in hospitalization within 24 hours. If your employer fails to meet this obligation, it may be a sign that they are not prioritizing your safety or your rights. An attorney can help you document your injury and ensure your legal rights are protected throughout the claims process.
Medical benefits under Workers' Compensation typically cover all reasonable and necessary treatment related to your work injury, including dental and oral surgery. Because jaw fractures often involve damage to teeth and gums, these costs can be substantial. An attorney can help you verify that your medical benefits cover the full scope of your required dental and facial reconstruction.