Feb 17, 2019 | Work Injuries, Workers' Compensation
When you do heavy lifting during your work day, it can be easy to let your safe lifting techniques fall to the wayside. In turn, it can also be easy to end up with muscle strains, pains, and tears as a result. These injuries are small in the grand scheme of worker’s comp injuries. However, they can be quite pesky to deal with, and may take a long time to heal if you don’t treat them properly…
Muscle Strains: Injury, Treatment, and Recovery
What qualifies as a muscle strain?
Muscle strains refer to damages made to your muscle, and the tendons that connect to it. When you put stress on your muscles during work by lifting heavy items, making sporadic movement, or something of the sort— you have the potential to face muscle strains, pulls, and tears which can stop you in your tracks. Damage to your muscles can result in bruising, pain, irritation, and even damage to blood vessels in the remote area.
How do I know if I have a muscle strain?
You may notice muscle strains from the swelling, bruising, redness, pain, and lack of regular mobility. You might not see a doctor for muscle strains when you receive them on your one time. But, it is best to visit a doctor when you receive one at work. You’ll need a few days to heal, rest up, and get back to 100% so that muscle strain doesn’t worsen. However, you don’t want to lose out on necessary pay when you can’t perform your full work duties.
Claiming a strain on worker’s compensation
To be able to take time off of work, heal up, and still receive payment— you’ll likely need to claim your injury through worker’s compensation. Speak to your employer, explain your issue, and fill out the necessary paperwork. Furthermore, you’ll have to see a doctor, confirm your injury, and recovery plan, to receive those benefits.
When it comes to muscle strains and injuries in the workplace, do not take them lightly. While a strain might seem small— any untreated injury can turn into a big problem. Therefore, take your time, see a doctor, and follow their advice when it comes to a healing timeline. We wish you luck in treating your injury. Furthermore, we offer our condolences for this difficult time, and extend our services if you find that you may need them.
Therefore, take your time, see a doctor, and follow their advice when it comes to a healing timeline. We wish you luck in treating your injury. Furthermore, we offer our condolences for this difficult time, and extend our services if you find that you may need them.
Feb 14, 2019 | Work Injuries, Workers' Compensation
Owning a business, especially for the first time, comes with a bit of a learning curve. You have employees, finances, and sometimes— an ‘oops’ that helps you to learn a little bit more about the process. Take, for example, an accident that leads to injury. No matter your experience, it can be nerve-wracking to see your employee hurt. Not to mention, you have to provide worker’s comp, and make sure your injured worker’s responsibilities are taken care of while they’re down and out. Avoiding worker’s compensation claims is a top priority for business owners. But, how do you do that? Putting workspace safety measures in place is a first step to reducing worker injuries, and avoiding costly claims.
Workspace Safety Measures: Avoiding Costly Claims for Business Owners
Set a standard
The best way to avoid injury in the workplace is to set those workspace safety measures from day one. Create a protocol, set a standard of safety, and check in on those measures. Every business is different, as are the common injuries. No matter the field you’re working in, or the type of establishment— you know your business. Therefore, you also understand the risk that comes with it with it. So, you can prepare as such. As you build a business plan, make your workspace safety measures part of the process.
Enforce those standards
Most business owners will have workspace safety measures in mind. However, it’s enforcing those standards is the real key. Consider quarterly safety meetings where you go over stats, safety measures, and encourage your employees to watch out for themselves, and for their coworkers. Holding employees accountable for safety is a great way to start.
Offer incentives for safety milestones
While workspace safety measures are mostly concerned with direct safety practice— there is also that aspect of accountability. Many people are driven by the thought avoiding an injury. However, accidents still happen. Not to mention, some employees might find the benefit of worker’s compensation more appealing than working every day… So, how do you reward those who work hard and stay safe? But, also encourage those who might take advantage, to avoid doing so?
Offer incentives for hitting certain goals and practicing workspace safety measures! For every 90 days without an injury, give your employees something to look forward to. Take your employees to dinner, provide breakfast, or give them a small bonus. While these events do cost money— consider what you’re saving in worker’s compensation claims.
Jan 24, 2019 | Personal Injury, Work Injuries
There are plenty of different types when it comes to personal injury— most of which cover physical injuries. From worker’s injuries, a slip, something falling on you while walking down the sidewalk… In short, anything can happen at any time, no matter where you’re at. This is where premises liability comes in…
Premises Liability: Understanding Personal Injury Law
Premises liability is a concept that covers personal injury cases which result from unsafe conditions on a person’s property. That person might be a friend, a family member, or even a business. But, when you face serious injury at someone, or something, else’s expense— there are laws in place to protect you.
It may be difficult to bring a premises liability case against someone you’re familiar with. But, sometimes, it is the only way to avoid paying hefty medical bills. Furthermore, having this injury and recovery process paid for will make the healing process go much more smoothly.
Owner responsibility
There is a certain lawful standard for property owners. Furthermore, there is a certain level of maintenance law requires to keep your property in safe and working order. While every state varies a bit in their requirements— there is a standard of ‘reasonable care’.
It starts when you receive an invite to someone’s property, or have permission in some capacity. Then, maybe you go, and trip over a broken walkway. You now have a sprained ankle, bruise on your hip, and a cut on your face. When you receive an invite, you expect that you’ll be safe. Therefore, when the property is unsafe, and you face injury, premises liability can come into play.
What falls into a premises liability category?
- slips and falls
- dog bites
- improper maintenance of the property
- faulty conditions which result in injury
- fire
- snow and ice
- amusement park injury
- improper security systems which result in assault
These few incidents don’t capture the entirety of premises liability. However, they do give you a good idea of what goes where. You might be wondering whether or not you have a case for premises liability. In this instance, it’s best to speak with an attorney and explain what happened. By sharing the details, a professional will be able to give you your options. Furthermore, an attorney will help you find your quickest path to reimbursement and recovery.
Nov 29, 2018 | Work Injuries, Workers' Compensation
When it comes to on the job injuries, knee injuries can be some of the most common. From construction workers, to nurses, people of many different professions are at risk for knee injuries. While some knee problems can be mild, other injuries may be more severe and require a long recovery process. So, we’re here to take a look at some of the most common workplace knee injuries.
Workplace Knee Injuries: Avoiding Incident
Meniscus injuries
Meniscus injuries prove to be some of the most common on-the-job injuries. This injury can come from a serious accident, or just twisting your knee a certain way. It’s normally signaled by intense pain and a feeling that your knee is giving out. It can also trigger a lot of swelling, which may prevent your normal range of motion. In cases of severe meniscus tears, your doctor will want to proceed with surgery and physical therapy. However, compared to other knee injuries the recovery process for this tear is usually not long. In addition, most people experience a full recovery and have very few problems later on.
Ligament Injuries
These types of issues take place in the ligaments that surround the left and ride sides of your knee. In most cases, these injuries occur because of an accident. You will most likely be able to feel it the moment you tear either your ACL, MCL, or PCL. Unlike a meniscus injury, these problems usually require months of recovery. In fact, sometimes an ACL tear can require reconstructive surgery.
In cases of workplace knee injuries, it’s so important to report your accident right away. The only way to diagnose a knee problem such as these is to have an MRI. This scan alone can be very costly. In addition, the doctor’s visits, cost of surgery, and physical therapy will be expensive. Therefore, you want to make sure to report your injury so that you can receive the proper coverage.
However, if your injury isn’t due to a specific accident, it’s still important to report the pain you are having. You never know when the daily demand of your job will lead to knee injuries. So, even though you haven’t experienced a specific accident, that doesn’t mean you haven’t injured your knee.
Nov 16, 2018 | Work Injuries, Workers' Compensation
When it comes to our loved ones, we never want to see them in pain. Furthermore, when facing a work injury, you’ll often notice your loved ones feeling down, depressed, and feeling discouraged by the recovery process. Depending on the injury at the hand, recovery can take months. Those months can feel long and lonely, especially when you spend them mainly on your own. So, what can you do, as a loved one, to show support post-work injury? You’re willing to do anything to help, but it can often be difficult to know where to start…
How-To Show Support Post-Work Injury: Supporting Loved Ones
Spend Time Together
The one thing many people facing work injury will deal with is isolation. This is no one’s fault. After all, most everyone is going about business as usual. However, when you lose the routine of your daily life, and you’re going at it alone, depression can set in. So, take some time out to spend time with your loved one. The absolute best way to show support post-work injury, is to simply give your time and company.
Let them vent
There are a lot of feelings that come along with an injury of any kind, but especially one that alters your way of life. So, be there to listen. This person is likely feeling frustration, discouragement, fear, anger, and many many other emotions. The best thing you can do for them is listen and let them vent it out. There is nothing more therapeutic than to get it all out there, and have someone allow you to. It’s not that you need to say anything in particular, or fix the situation. Being there, listening, and being a shoulder to lean on is almost always enough.
Be there for them, but make yourself a priority to
You can do plenty to help the people you love, but self-care is also extremely important. Maybe you’re taking them to appointments, making meals, cleaning the house, and doing every single thing you can. But, sometimes you find that you’re irritated, short-tempered, and tired. So, take some time to yourself as well. You want to help, and you’re doing a great deal. But, your life and well-being is also a priority. Don’t cause yourself pain, or even an injury, by overexerting yourself. Your loved one will understand if you need to go home, take a shower, or catch up on homework, or so forth.
Oct 26, 2018 | Work Injuries, Workers' Compensation
Worker’s compensation benefits come in many different forms and fashions. After all, there are many different stages to recovering from an injury, and getting back on your feet. You have initial recovery, rehabilitation, and getting back to work if you can. When getting back to work, it might be difficult, or impossible, to resume the exact position you help before. For this reason, reduced earnings benefits are a huge relief for injured workers that are getting back to it. But how do they work?
Reduced Earnings Benefits: Understanding Worker’s Comp
You’ll eventually return to work after an accident. When you do, it might take time to get back to your old work duties. Or, you might be confined to light duty return. At this time, you might find that the position you’re holding doesn’t pay quite as much as what you had before. When you face this issue, reduced earnings benefits can come in and compensate for that difference in wage. By introducing this amount, you will be able to maintain your lifestyle, get back to work comfortably, and return to your way of life.
A Stress-Reliever
The biggest thing that reduced earnings benefits do for you is provide a peace of mind. An injured worker can come back into the workplace and not worry about their ability to hit the ground running. These benefits can be very helpful in the difficult time following an accident. While this time can be painful and there can be many stressors, money does not need to be one of them. Therefore, these benefits can make for a less stressful transition. Without having to worry about a loss of wages, you can return to work, find your footing once again, and work your way back to full capacity.
Every injured worker’s journey is a little bit different, and their way back to work is no small feat. By providing these benefits, every worker has the chance to come back to work when the time is right, and move forward.
