.jpg)
Common Workplace Injuries
Workplace injuries can happen in an instant and leave you injured for a long time. That’s why it’s important to get help as soon as you can, but if you’re not sure whether your injury will qualify for compensation, it can be beneficial to learn about some of the most common work injuries and compare your situation. You may not think that your case will qualify, but in reality, it might. Find out about what some of the more frequently occurring workplace injuries are.
The most common workers’ compensation claims include injuries such as:
- Overexertion: Considered one of the most common injuries, this involves injuries related to pushing, pulling. lifting, carrying, holding, or throwing things at work.
- Repetitive motion: A workplace injury involving repetitive actions such as typing, including carpal tunnel syndrome, muscles and tendons causing back injuries, and more.
- Struck by an object: Injuries from falling objects or objects dropped by another person.
- Struck against an object: Injuries caused by hitting an object such as a wall, window, or door.
- Workplace assault: Assaults involving one or more workers in the workplace.
- Traffic incidents: Injuries from crashes and other accidents occurring in company vehicles.
- Fall to a lower level: Falling down stairs, off a roof, off a ladder, etc.
- Slip and fall: These can be slips on wet or slippery floors, falls on uneven floor surfaces, or falling on slippery, uncleared walkways during winter.
- Caught in/compressed by: Injuries that usually involve heavy machinery or take place in factories.
What to Know About Workers’ Compensation Cases
A workers’ compensation lawyer will be able to walk you through the process of filing a claim, but you’ll need to be informed about various aspects of the process as well. For instance, you’ll need to know what the statute of limitations is for work injury cases, what type of paperwork you need to keep on hand (including medical bills, incident reports, and more), and what type of compensation you should be seeking.
Different types of compensation include permanent injury, lost wages, medical bill reimbursement, and more. If you’re not sure of any of these details, a work injury lawyer will be able to help you sort out the process.
The Claim-Filing Process
Filing a claim can be a complex process, which is why involving a work injury lawyer can be extremely beneficial.
The first step in the process is to let your employer know about the incident. This must be done within seven days of occurrence. If you seek medical care for your injuries, be sure to let the workers know that you have a work-related injury, because your employer may require you to be seen by certain physicians or visit certain facilities.
Next, the insurance carrier will open a claim after they receive a report from the doctors or employer. If the claim is found to be compensable, the insurance carrier will contact the injured person and the employer to determine the rate of pay that the injured person will receive while they’re out of work.
If the claim is denied, however, the injured person will have the opportunity to apply for an appeal to dispute the ruling.
