How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 577 severe cases of joint dislocations over the past decade. The shoulder is the most frequently affected area, accounting for 20% of all reported incidents, which often leaves you struggling with basic overhead tasks and lifting requirements.
These injuries frequently result in torn ligaments and damaged cartilage that require surgical intervention. Beyond the immediate pain, you may face permanent range-of-motion limitations that can prevent you from returning to your previous physical duties.
What causes Dislocations
Falls are the primary driver of these injuries, with falls on the same level accounting for 25% of all reported cases. Whether you slip on a slick surface or trip over an unmarked hazard, the sudden impact force is often enough to pop a joint out of its socket. Other common scenarios include overexertion while handling heavy materials and being struck by falling objects that knock a joint out of alignment.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fall on same level | 138 |
| 2 | Other fall to lower level | 136 |
| 3 | Overexertion while materials moving by hand | 61 |
| 4 | Struck by falling object | 29 |
| 5 | Twisting, reaching, bending | 25 |
| 6 | Slip, trip, stumble on same level— without fall | 16 |
| 7 | Struck by rolling powered vehicle or machinery | 15 |
| 8 | Caught, entangled in running powered equipment— normal operation | 15 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction leads all sectors with 20% of reported dislocation cases, largely due to the prevalence of uneven walking surfaces and ladder use. Manufacturing follows closely at 20%, where you are frequently exposed to caught-in hazards and repetitive motion tasks that place extreme stress on joints like the elbow and shoulder.
Real cases like yours
These reports frequently show a pattern of environmental hazards, such as missing floor tiles, poorly secured ladders, or falling cargo, that turn routine tasks into life-altering accidents. 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 your employer failed to maintain a safe work environment.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | TX | Construction | "An employee was working on pipes in the ceiling. He was climbing down a ladder when he slipped and fell, twisting his ankle. The employee's ankle was dislocated." | |
| 2025 | FL | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was preparing the aft cargo door of an aircraft for painting, while standing on a ladder. The employee was using a grinder and wearing a half-mask respirator when he fell to the hangar floor. The employee sustained a dislocated elbow requiring surgery." | |
| 2025 | NY | Manufacturing | "An employee's leg went through a part of the floor that was missing a floor tile and he sustained a dislocated shoulder while catching himself." | |
| 2025 | FL | Construction | "An employee had been spotting for a mini-excavator. The employee was working to relocate a water pump to give the mini-excavator an adequate area for the spoil pile. The employee retrieved the water pump located beside a 24'' metal manhole cover. As he started walking, his right foot stepped on the edge of the manhole cover and his right leg went into the opening up to his knee. His left leg and foot remained on the ground and twisted as he lost balance and fell to the ground. The employee sustained a closed dislocation of the metatarsophalangeal joint of the left foot and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | AL | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was stacking cases of product, each weighing approximately 10 - 20 pounds, onto a pallet inside a railcar. A pallet that was stored on an upper level dislodged and fell, striking the employee from behind. The employee sustained a dislocated left hip." | |
| 2025 | IL | Retail Trade | "An employee dropped a piece of clothing on the sales floor. She bent over to pick it up and her hip dislocated. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery." | |
| 2025 | IL | Construction | "An employee was climbing down from a roof using a 20-foot fixed ladder. He was about 14 to 16 feet up the ladder, closing the roof hatch, when the hatch failed and he slipped and fell. He landed on the concrete floor, dislocated his left shoulder, and suffered injuries to his left elbow and right wrist." | |
| 2025 | OH | Manufacturing | "An employee was working on a cutting line that utilized a machine to pull material through the line. The employee was turning a roller to feed material into the machine when their left hand was caught between the rollers, resulting in abrasions and a dislocated thumb. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery on the thumb." | |
| 2025 | NY | Construction | "An employee was setting a water pump to dewater in a small trench when a piece of clay broke off and struck him in the side. The employee sustained a hip dislocation." | |
| 2025 | FL | Manufacturing | "An employee walked to their work truck to put a delivery receipt in it. While walking back to the jobsite area, the employee was walking over a sandy area and tripped, putting their right hand out to catch themself. Their right little finger was dislocated. The employee was hospitalized and required surgery." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.
Frequently asked questions
Recovery timelines vary significantly depending on the joint involved and the severity of associated ligament damage. While some minor dislocations heal with physical therapy, many severe cases require surgery and months of rehabilitation before you can safely return to full duty. An attorney can help you document the full extent of your medical needs to ensure your claim accounts for long-term recovery.
Workers' Compensation is designed to cover necessary medical treatments, including surgery, for injuries you sustained on the job. This includes the cost of the procedure, anesthesia, and the required physical therapy sessions to regain joint function. An attorney can help you verify that your employer's insurance provider is meeting its obligations to cover these essential costs.
Employers often attempt to attribute joint injuries to previous wear and tear to avoid paying benefits. However, if your work duties or a specific workplace accident aggravated or caused the dislocation, you are generally entitled to compensation. An attorney can help you gather medical evidence to prove the work-related nature of your injury and challenge improper denials.
In most cases, Workers' Compensation is the exclusive remedy for workplace injuries, meaning you cannot sue your employer directly. However, if a third party was responsible for the hazard that caused your fall, or if your employer committed a specific safety violation, you may have additional legal options. An attorney can help you evaluate the circumstances of your fall to identify all potential paths for recovery.