If you’ve gotten hurt at work in Orange County, you probably know a little about workers’ compensation. It may very well be enough to cover your needs until you’re back at work. But it’s not always quite enough, because workers’ compensation has strict limits, and it doesn’t always provide full financial restitution. This holds especially true if any serious negligence or unsafe conditions created by someone other than your employer led to your injury.
As New Windsor personal injury attorneys who specialize in construction injuries and premises liability (like slip and falls), we’re here to help you navigate after a serious injury at work.
What Workers’ Compensation Won’t Cover
In New York, workers’ comp is run as a “no-fault” program. There is no requirement to prove that anyone caused your injury. The downside is that you give up the right to sue your employer by collecting it. The program covers medical treatment, a portion of lost wages, and some disability benefits.
If you need compensation for pain and suffering, full wage replacement, or punitive damages for reckless or unsafe conduct, workers’ compensation will not cover it.
Can You Sue a Third-Party In Addition to Workers’ Comp?
If it wasn’t your employer, but someone else who contributed to or caused your injury, then you do have the right to file a third-party personal injury lawsuit.
For example, if you were injured at a construction job on someone else’s property, if you slipped and fell while you were out making a delivery or at a catering job, if you were injured by faulty equipment, or if you’re injured while driving as part of your job, you could be justified in seeking damages from the responsible third party.
You may also be in a situation where workers’ compensation doesn’t cover you at all, and you simply need to file a personal injury claim to get any restitution.
This situation may apply if you were working as an Uber driver or gig worker, if your employer doesn’t carry workers’ comp insurance, if you were physically assaulted by a third party or a co-worker, or if you were working offsite and were injured due to another party’s negligence.
What are the Most Common Workplace Injuries in Orange County?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not track of workplace injuries county-by-county or town-by-town. To figure this out, we are combining the national rates of various workplace injuries from the BLS with U.S. Census Data on the most common professions from 2023. In doing so, we will get a rough estimate of how many workplace injuries there are every year in Orange County, as well as in the City of Newburhg and the Towns of Warwick and New Windsor.
In total, there were 191,582 workers in Orange County in 2023, and by applying an injury rate of 2.7 per hundred to it, we can reasonably estimate that there were around 5,173 injuries. Similarly, since there were 12,879 workers in Newburgh, there were 348 injuries; In the Town of Warwick, there were 10,611 workers and 286 injuries, and in the Town of New Windsor, there were 13,170 workers and 356 injuries.
1. Educational Services, Health Care and Social Assistance – 1,748 Injuries
Orange County employed 51,421 people in this category, with 3,036 in Newburgh, 2,961 in Warwick, and 3,589 in New Windsor. Estimated injuries were 103 in Newburgh, 101 in Warwick, and 122 in New Windsor.
These include teachers, nurses, home health aides, school staff, and social workers; professions where overexertion, slips, and physical interaction with patients or students frequently lead to injury.
2. Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation and Food Services – 627 Injuries
With 14,574 workers in this sector countywide, and 1,223 in Newburgh, 743 in Warwick, and 615 in New Windsor — we estimate 53 injuries in Newburgh, 32 in Warwick, and 26 in New Windsor.
These jobs include servers, bartenders, hotel clerks, gym attendants, performers, and kitchen staff, who often face fast-paced, physically demanding environments with frequent exposure to spills, sharp tools, and heat.
3. Retail Trade – 841 Injuries
There were 27,128 retail workers in Orange County, including 2,230 in Newburgh, 982 in Warwick, and 1,321 in New Windsor. Estimated injuries: 69 in Newburgh, 30 in Warwick, and 41 in New Windsor.
Retail jobs such as cashiers, stockers, and sales associates often involve long hours standing, lifting boxes, working around cluttered aisles, and interacting with customers, all of which increase injury risk.
4. Transportation and Warehousing – 549 Injuries
This sector had 12,205 workers countywide, with 1,065 in Newburgh, 501 in Warwick, and 1,071 in New Windsor. Based on national rates, that means approximately 48 injuries in both Newburgh and New Windsor, and 23 in Warwick.
Common injuries in this field include sprains from lifting, slips in loading docks, and vehicle accidents. Workers include drivers, warehouse employees, logistics staff, and equipment operators.
5. Manufacturing – 363 Injuries
Manufacturing employed 12,980 people in 2023 in Orange County, with 848 in Newburgh, 774 in Warwick, and 664 in New Windsor. That corresponds to 24 injuries in Newburgh, 22 in Warwick, and 19 in New Windsor.
Workers in this sector may be involved in assembly, machine operation, or quality control. Injury risks stem from repetitive motion, equipment malfunction, and contact with moving parts or hazardous materials.
6. Public Administration – 327 Injuries
With 10,208 workers countywide, including 476 in Newburgh, 540 in Warwick, and 1,238 in New Windsor, we estimate 15 injuries in Newburgh, 17 in Warwick, and 40 in New Windsor.
Public employees include sanitation workers, municipal staff, corrections officers, and maintenance crews, many of whom work outdoors or in high-pressure environments with exposure to physical hazards.
7. Construction – 295 Injuries
With 12,807 construction workers across Orange County, and 833 in Newburgh, 837 in Warwick, and 628 in New Windsor, there were approximately 19 injuries in both Newburgh and Warwick, and 14 in New Windsor.
These include carpenters, roofers, laborers, and electricians, many of whom work at height or operate heavy tools. Falls, ladder collapses, and equipment injuries are among the most common causes.
8. Other Services (Except Public Administration) -154 Injuries
There were 9,053 workers in this sector, with 881 in Newburgh, 349 in Warwick, and 897 in New Windsor. That results in approximately 15 injuries in Newburgh, 6 in Warwick, and 15 in New Windsor.
This sector includes hairdressers, auto repair technicians, religious staff, and dry cleaning workers, which are roles that involve hands-on tasks and public interaction. Hazards may include tools, slippery floors, and repetitive motions.
9. Professional, Scientific, and Administrative Services – 165 Injuries
With 20,676 people employed across Orange County, and 947 in Newburgh, 1,381 in Warwick, and 1,095 in New Windsor, the injury estimates are 8 in Newburgh, 11 in Warwick, and 9 in New Windsor.
These injuries are typically concentrated among field techs, building service workers, and those doing installations or repairs, rather than in office-only roles.
10. Wholesale Trade – 107 Injuries
There were 4,633 wholesale trade workers in the county, including 621 in Newburgh, 313 in Warwick, and 431 in New Windsor. That equates to 14, 7, and 10 injuries, respectively.
Wholesale workers handle bulk goods, load and unload trucks, and operate forklifts. Slips, strains, and back injuries are common.
11. Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate – 74 Injuries
Orange County had 10,602 workers in this category, with 467 in Newburgh, 869 in Warwick, and 1,124 in New Windsor, which resulted in an estimated 3 injuries in Newburgh, 6 in Warwick, and 8 in New Windsor.
These are typically office-based roles, but injuries still happen, especially slips, car accidents while visiting clients, and repetitive stress injuries.
12. Information – 41 Injuries
With 4,145 workers in the information sector, and 169 in Newburgh, 246 in Warwick, and 443 in New Windsor, we estimate 2, 2, and 4 injuries respectively.
This category includes telecom installers, news reporters, and broadcasting or IT field staff. Risk levels vary depending on whether workers are in the field or at a desk.
13. Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting – 48 Injuries
A small but high-risk category with 1,150 total workers countywide, including 83 in Newburgh, 115 in Warwick, and 54 in New Windsor. Estimated injuries: 3 in Newburgh, 5 in Warwick, and 2 in New Windsor.
These workers face injury risks from machinery, livestock, and terrain-related hazards, often while working long hours outdoors.
What are the Most Common Workplace Injuries?
According to the National Safety Council, the most common kinds of workplace injuries are:
- Exposure to harmful substances or environments – 28%
- Overexertion, bodily reaction like back injuries – 23%
- Falls, slips and trips, causing sprains, tears and strains -20%
- Contact with objects/equipment – 20%
- Violence and other injuries by persons or animals – 4%
- Transportation incidents – 4%