How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 272 severe jaw injuries between 2015 and 2025. Fractures represent 81 percent of these incidents, often requiring extensive surgical intervention and prolonged recovery periods that keep you away from your job.
A jaw injury impacts more than just your ability to work. It affects your ability to eat, speak, and breathe comfortably, often leading to long-term functional limitations that can permanently alter your quality of life and future earning capacity.
How these injuries happen
Most jaw injuries stem from sudden, high-impact events. Being struck by a propelled object accounts for 16 percent of reported cases, while physical altercations account for 15 percent and falls on the same level account for 12 percent.
| 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 percent of all severe jaw injuries, followed by construction at 20 percent and transportation and warehousing at 10 percent.
Real cases like yours
Common patterns in these reports reveal a recurring theme of sudden, unexpected force. Whether you experience a fall from a ladder, a whipping cable under tension, or an encounter with a dangerous animal, these injuries often happen in an instant. An attorney can help you review the specifics of your incident to determine if your employer failed to provide a safe environment.
| 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 significantly based on the severity of the fracture and whether surgery is required to wire or plate the bone. You may face months of restricted diets and physical therapy before you can return to your full duties. An attorney can help you understand how your specific recovery timeline impacts your Workers' Compensation claim.
Workers' Compensation typically covers medical expenses that are necessary to treat a work-related injury, including dental and oral surgery costs. If your jaw injury caused damage to your teeth or bite alignment, these costs should be included in your claim. An attorney can help ensure that all related medical needs are documented and included in your benefits request.
Workers' Compensation is generally a no-fault system, meaning you are often eligible for benefits regardless of who caused the accident. Employers may attempt to deny claims by citing your error, but this does not necessarily disqualify you from receiving support. An attorney can help you gather evidence to challenge a denial and protect your rights.
OSHA requires employers to provide appropriate personal protective equipment and maintain safe working conditions to prevent facial trauma. When your employer fails to enforce these safety standards, they may be held accountable for the resulting injuries. An attorney can investigate whether your employer violated safety regulations that contributed to your jaw injury.