If you work in construction, you know that you should be relatively safe, but there are still risks every day on the job. Even if you’re safe, there’s a risk that others won’t be, leading to your injury. If that happens, a workers’ compensation claim can help you get the money you need while you recover.

There are approximately 6 million people who work in the construction industry. That makes up about 4 percent of the entire nation’s workforce. In fact, construction is so important in the United States that the industry is expected to have 7.4 million jobs in total by 2022.

There are some downsides to working in construction, however. In 2012, for instance, there were 806 deaths in the construction industry. A large number of these deaths were caused by falls, by being caught in or between machines, by being electrocuted or by being struck by an object.

It’s also true that construction workers face higher rates of non-fatal injuries than those in other industries. Workers’ compensation claims are made to help these individuals cover their medical costs when they’re injured. They also pay death benefits to families who lose a loved one in the construction industry. If a person survives an accident, it’s been shown that the average cost for injuries caused by falls alone cost between $97,000 and $107,000, which is why compensation for the injured party or family of a fatally injured person is so important. Medical bills are generally covered in full by workers’ compensation, and additional benefits may be paid if a person can’t return to work or passes away.

Source: FindLaw, “Construction Safety: The Industry at a Glance,” accessed Oct. 18, 2016