How often these injuries happen
OSHA recorded 3,571 severe cases of intracranial injuries over the last decade. In every one of these reported incidents, the brain was the primary structure affected, which often leads to immediate hospitalization and intensive medical intervention.
These injuries are uniquely dangerous because they frequently cause permanent neurological deficits. Beyond the initial trauma, you often face long-term challenges with memory, motor function, and emotional regulation that can permanently limit your ability to perform your job duties.
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Free Benefits ReviewWhat causes Intracranial Injuries
Falls are the primary driver of these severe head injuries, with other fall to lower level accounting for 39% of all reported incidents. Whether you slip from a ladder, fall from a scaffold, or are struck by falling objects, the force of impact against hard surfaces is the most common cause of your brain trauma.
| Cause | Incidents | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other fall to lower level | 1,327 |
| 2 | Fall on same level | 900 |
| 3 | Struck by falling object | 237 |
| 4 | Hitting, kicking, beating by other person | 147 |
| 5 | Nonroadway noncollision incident | 127 |
| 6 | Struck against stationary object | 77 |
| 7 | Struck by propelled object or substance | 74 |
| 8 | Pedestrian struck by vehicle in nonroadway area | 60 |
Where injuries happen most
Construction leads all sectors, with 19% of severe intracranial injuries occurring on job sites where you operate at height or near heavy overhead loads. The combination of elevated work surfaces, frequent use of portable ladders, and the presence of heavy machinery creates a high-risk environment where a single slip can result in a life-altering head injury.
Real cases like yours
These incident reports reveal a recurring pattern of preventable accidents involving falls from ladders, physical altercations, and being struck by falling construction materials. If any of these scenarios sound like what happened to you, an attorney can help you review the specific circumstances of your injury to determine if employer negligence contributed to the event.
| Year | State | Industry | Incident summary | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | PA | Manufacturing | "The injured employee was working from the cab of the debarker when a former employee approached. There was an argument and the former employee struck the injured employee in the head. The injured employee ended up on the ground as the former employee continued to hit him. The injured employee was bleeding from his head, had internal bleeding, and sustained a concussion." | |
| 2025 | MD | Construction | "An employee was on an A-frame ladder while preforming demolition of a ceiling. A section of HVAC ductwork fell on the employee and knocked them to the ground approximately 12 feet below. The employee was hospitalized with a concussion and lacerations." | |
| 2025 | AL | Manufacturing | "Two employees engaged in a verbal altercation. The injured employee was punched in the face and fell, hitting their head on the concrete floor. The employee sustained a brain bleed and blunt force trauma to the face." | |
| 2025 | MO | Health Care | "An employee was on the phone with his supervisor when a patient walked up and punched him. The employee was knocked to the floor and the patient kicked him multiple times causing injuries to his head, left cheek, left eye, mouth, and right hand. The employee sustained a traumatic brain injury/concussion and a left periorbital edema." | |
| 2025 | FL | Other Services | "An employee was ascending a ladder and slipped and fell to the ground, striking his head and back. The employee sustained a skull fracture with internal bleeding, two fractured vertebrae, and a fractured rib." | |
| 2025 | MA | Construction | "An employee was stripping siding when they fell 18 feet from a ladder to the ground. The employee sustained a possible head injury and was hospitalized." | |
| 2025 | FL | Construction | "An employee was on a ladder, setting vertical columns, when he lost balance and fell approximately 15 feet to the ground, resulting in a concussion." | |
| 2025 | GA | Construction | "On July 25, 2025, an employee was walking on roof trusses when they fell 10 feet to the ground. The employee was hospitalized with a concussion and a back injury." | |
| 2025 | OH | Transportation & Warehousing | "On July 23, 2025, an employee was loading irregular packages into a truck. A pole that was being shipped fell from from an upright position and struck the employee on the head, resulting in a concussion." | |
| 2025 | WV | Transportation & Warehousing | "An employee was loading inflatable rafts onto a flatbed truck. The employee misstepped and fell from the truck, striking the left side of their head on a concrete pad and sustaining bruises to their left eye socket, hand, elbow, and knee, as well as a bloody nose. The employee was hospitalized with a concussion and a brain bleed." |
Source: OSHA Severe Injury Reports. Narratives are verbatim from filings; identifying details may have been redacted by OSHA.