What are the Most Common Injuries for Worker’s Compensation Claims?
Would you believe the answer is simple overexertion? Overexertion can present itself in virtually any kind of job, including white collar office jobs, building trades, warehouse and delivery jobs, auto repair shops, you name it. But some jobs carry a high risk of injury than others.
What is overexertion? Simply, it is when your regular physical activity goes above and beyond your body’s normative capabilities or when you are attempting to perform a physical task for which you were not trained or insufficiently trained.
Most workplace injuries take place as a result of repetitive actions such as lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling. Even long term typing or sitting in a less tham comfortable position for long periods of time. Lifting a box of copy paper to put it on a shelf, slipping on an icy office building sidewalk, the list goes on.
The most common types of workplace injuries can include carpal tunnel syndrom, shortness of breath, lower abdominal pain, hernia, muscle stiffness, frequent bouts of dizziness, swelling, nausea and vomiting. And although your injuries or symptoms seem, at the outset, to be minor, they have the potential to worsen, leaving you permanently unable to work or hold a job, along with increased medical expenses, and the anxiety of worrying about how you are going to pay your bills and put food on the table.
What You Should Do if You Believe You’ve Been Injured
Many men and women in the workplace think that overexertion and the resultant injuries are their fault, so they reasonably assume that they would be ineligible for worker’s compensation. But keep in mind that if your injuries occurred while at your place of employment, or during the normal carrying out of your job description, as determined by your doctor when he examines your injuries, you are eligible for worker’s compensation benefits and should file a workers compensation claim.
The first thing you should do after you’ve been injured is to inform your direct supervisor or manager and make an appointment to see your doctor as soon as possible. Then consider contacting a worker’s compensation attorney who can you evaluate your best course of action. Your attorney may be able to help you find an appropriate healthcare provider approved by your employer who may be able to treat you at no cost to you. He will also help you understand your rights and how to exercise them in your best interest.
Remember, file a workers compensation claim is against an insurance company, not your employer. Your employer does not suffer if you choose to pursue a workers compensation claim. But there is a time limit to file your claim: usually two years from your last payment or three years from your initial injury report. That means if you fail to file a workers comp claim within those specified time limits, you may never be able to file a claim and get the benefits to which you are entitled.
Workers Compensation Claims: Where to Turn for Help
If you have suffered from a work-related injury, please call us at 315-424-1105 for a free, private case evaluation. The workers compensation and workplace injury lawyers at McMahon, Kublick & Smith in Syracuse, New York can help you get the compensation and benefits to which you are entitled.
