If you’ve gotten hurt at work in Dutchess County, you’re probably aware of workers’ compensation. Very often, it is enough to cover your needs until you’re back at work. However, it’s not always enough; workers’ compensation has strict limits, and it doesn’t always provide full financial restitution, especially if any serious negligence or unsafe conditions created by someone other than your employer led to your injury.
As Poughkeepsie 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 a “no-fault” program, i.e. you don’t have to prove that anyone caused your injury. 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 Dutchess County?
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) doesn’t keep track of workplace injuries county-by-county or town-by-town. In this blog post, we’ll get around that by combining the national rates of workplace injuries from the BLS with U.S. Census Data on the most common professions from 2023, we can get a rough idea of how many workplace injuries there are every year in Dutchess County, as well as in the City of Poughkeepsie and the Towns of Wappinger and East Fishkill.
In total, there were 150,187 workers in Dutchess County in 2023, and by applying an injury rate of 2.7 per hundred to it, we can reasonably estimate that there were around 4,055 injuries. Similarly, since there were 15,374 workers in Poughkeepsie, there were 415 injuries; In East Fishkill, there were 13,764 workers and 372 injuries, and in Wappinger, there were 18,964 workers and 512 injuries.
1. Educational Services, Health Care and Social Assistance – 1,599 Injuries
This sector is by far the largest employer in Dutchess County, with 47,022 workers, including 4,793 in Poughkeepsie, 3,862 in East Fishkill, and 5,356 in Wappinger. That equates to an estimated 163 injuries in Poughkeepsie, 131 in East Fishkill, and 182 in Wappinger.
Common roles include nurses, teachers, home health aides, school custodians, and social workers. These jobs frequently involve lifting, repetitive strain, and exposure to hazards like slippery floors or aggressive behavior in care settings.
2. Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation and Food Services – 460 Injuries
This fast-paced, high-contact sector employed 10,696 people in Dutchess County, with 1,632 in Poughkeepsie, 938 in East Fishkill, and 1,866 in Wappinger. Injury estimates are 70 in Poughkeepsie, 40 in East Fishkill, and 80 in Wappinger.
This includes waiters, bartenders, cooks, front desk hotel staff, performers, gym employees, and event workers, most of whom are on their feet and working around crowds, wet floors, or heavy equipment.
3. Retail Trade – 439 Injuries
The retail sector employed 14,165 workers in 2023, with 1,920 in Poughkeepsie, 1,331 in East Fishkill, and 2,187 in Wappinger. That suggests an estimated 60 injuries in Poughkeepsie, 41 in East Fishkill, and 68 in Wappinger.
Retail injuries are most often caused by slips, lifting stock, falling items, or repetitive movements at the register. Common roles include cashiers, department store clerks, stockers, and floor supervisors.
4. Transportation and Warehousing – 337 Injuries
There were 7,490 workers in this category across Dutchess County, with 924 in Poughkeepsie, 814 in East Fishkill, and 1,103 in Wappinge. This led to an estimated 42 injuries in Poughkeepsie, 37 in East Fishkill, and 50 in Wappinger.
Drivers, warehouse workers, loaders, and logistics coordinators make up this group, often working in fast-moving environments with heavy equipment and lifting demands.
5. Public Administration – 281 Injuries
Public administration employed 8,767 people countywide, with 728 in Poughkeepsie, 816 in East Fishkill, and 818 in Wappinger. That translates to 23 injuries in Poughkeepsie, 26 in East Fishkill, and 26 in Wappinger.
This includes municipal workers, sanitation crews, public safety officers, and administrative staff, all of whom may face hazards from outdoor work, facility maintenance, or public interaction.
6. Manufacturing – 272 Injuries
There were 9,707 manufacturing workers in Dutchess County, with 836 in Poughkeepsie, 942 in East Fishkill, and 1,139 in Wappinger. That comes out to 23 injuries in Poughkeepsie, 26 in East Fishkill, and 32 in Wappinger.
These jobs include machine operators, fabricators, assemblers, quality inspectors, and forklift drivers. These are roles where noise, repetitive movement, and fast-paced assembly lines increase injury risks.
7. Construction – 223 Injuries
Dutchess County had 9,690 construction workers in 2023, including 360 in Poughkeepsie, 1,010 in East Fishkill, and 1,352 in Wappinger. That corresponds to an estimated 8 injuries in Poughkeepsie, 23 in East Fishkill, and 31 in Wappinger.
Construction injuries typically involve falls from heights, equipment misuse, tool-related cuts, or collapse incidents. Workers include general laborers, electricians, HVAC crews, and site foremen.
8. Other Services (Except Public Administration) – 123 Injuries
This catch-all sector includes 7,209 workers in Dutchess County, including 492 in Poughkeepsie, 773 in East Fishkill, and 1,069 in Wappinger. Estimated injuries: 8 in Poughkeepsie, 13 in East Fishkill, and 18 in Wappinger.
Barbers, mechanics, nonprofit staff, and repair technicians fall into this group. Physical tasks and frequent public interaction contribute to injury risks.
9. Professional, Scientific, and Administrative Services – 137 Injuries
This white-collar-heavy sector had 17,151 workers across the county, including 1,883 in Poughkeepsie, 1,862 in East Fishkill, and 1,773 in Wappinger. That suggests 15 injuries in Poughkeepsie, 15 in East Fishkill, and 14 in Wappinger.
While many of these jobs are office-based, field techs, IT installers, and building maintenance workers face real physical risks.
10. Wholesale Trade – 75 Injuries
Dutchess had 3,253 workers in wholesale trade, including 346 in Poughkeepsie, 195 in East Fishkill, and 460 in Wappinger. Resulting injuries were 8, 4, and 11 respectively.
Wholesalers move bulk inventory in fast-paced warehouse environments, often using lifts or hand trucks and dealing with loading hazards.
11. Finance, Insurance, and Real Estate – 65 Injuries
There were 9,341 workers in this sector countywide, with 1,106 in Poughkeepsie, 829 in East Fishkill, and 1,186 in Wappinger. That yields estimated injuries of 8, 6, and 8.
Most injuries in this category come from slips in offices or stress injuries from repetitive motions and long hours at desks or on the road.
12. Information – 45 Injuries
With 4,513 workers in this category, including 284 in Poughkeepsie, 320 in East Fishkill, and 546 in Wappinger, injuries likely total 3, 3, and 5 respectively.
Though often considered low-risk, information workers include journalists, telecom techs, and IT field staff who may face hazards while working on-site.
13. Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing, and Hunting – 50 Injuries
While small in numbers, this sector remains high-risk. Dutchess had 1,183 workers here; 70 in Poughkeepsie, 72 in East Fishkill, and 109 in Wappinger, resulting in estimated injuries of 3, 3, and 5.
Common roles include farmers, nursery workers, landscapers, and forestry technicians who often work with sharp tools, machinery, and in unpredictable outdoor conditions.
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%