Feb 3, 2019 | Personal Injury, Workers' Compensation
There are plenty of different ways to face injury in the workplace. From a quick sprain, to broken legs, and even lost limbs. However, there are plenty of different injuries that occur in the workplace which you might not see right away. Overexertion injuries, for example, are one means of injury that can occur out of your typical work conditions. Maybe you were more tired that day, or handling a two person job on your own. Whatever the reason, you now have an injury that needs treating. But, what could you have done to prevent it?
Overexertion Injuries Prevention: Worker’s Compensation
Ask for help
Overexertion injuries occur for a number of reasons, but one of the most common— is biting off more than you can chew. It can be easy to get caught up in the swing of things and think you can handle something on your own. However, it’s in those instances that you might find yourself with a sprain, strain, or tear. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, and admit when you can’t handle something on your own.
Use correct posture
If you have a physically taxing job, it can sometimes be easy to forget that posture is key to avoiding those overexertion injuries. Furthermore, even if you job isn’t physically taxing— you might find yourself with the occasional heavy lifting. Bend your knees, lift with your legs, and tighten your core. By doing so, you avoid unnecessary stress on your back, and in turn, injury.
Take a break every now and then
One of the biggest mistakes you can make is to not take a break every now and then. We understand that you work hard, and time is of the essence. However, stopping for a sip of water won’t hurt. In fact, it will keep you hydrated and help prevent fatigue. Your muscles and joints are working hard— reward them with a break every hour or two.
Overexertion injuries come in many different forms. However, the pain is always the same. Therefore, it’s important that you claim them through worker’s compensation. In the event that your employer makes doing so difficult, or begins denying your benefits— reach out to an attorney today.
Jan 31, 2019 | Personal Injury, Workers' Compensation
A work injury can be difficult to overcome both physically and mentally. However, recovery is likely the first thing on your mind. Getting back into the swing of things post-injury is a top concern for most injured workers. You want to go back to work, regain your lifestyle, and go back to your social spheres. But, before you can do that, you have to focus on your health and wellness. That’s where healthy recovery behaviors come into play…
Healthy Recovery Behaviors: Regaining Your Groove
Stick to the recovery plan
Your doctor is a pro at this, and the best way to recover quickly— is to honor their wishes. Every injury is different. Therefore, every treatment plan will be a bit different as well. As an injured worker, you have a duty to get back to 100% as quickly as possible. Furthermore, by doing so, you ensure that your employer does not try to deny you of your worker’s comp benefits. Healthy recovery behaviors vary based on your injury, but this one always remains the same.
Set realistic recovery goals
Being injured heavily hinders your typical quality of life. You might be missing yoga class, a night out with friends, or a few goals you’d set before the injury. Therefore, it’s not unusual for you to feel sad, lonely, or ‘in a funk’. However, finding ways to combat those feelings is a true sign of healthy recovery behaviors.
Therefore, it can be helpful to set recovery goals. Setting goals for yourself, even when they’re small, can help you to feel a sense of accomplishment— and get a few things done along the way. Consider doing your taxes before the deadline, convert your files to digital, or start a donations pile of old clothes you no longer wear. Whatever limitations you have with your injury— honor them, and do not exert yourself. But, a little mental sweat never hurt anyone.
Balance your diet
Give your body the fuel it needs to heal. Vitamins and nutrients, such as vitamin A/B/C/D, calcium, zinc, and copper can promote a healthy immune system and tissue growth. By choosing the right, health-conscious, foods— you’re practicing healthy recovery behaviors. However, you don’t have to be all disciplined. Balancing your diet also means indulging a little bit as well— however moderation in key.
Healthy recovery behaviors are a practice that any person facing injury should consider in terms of regaining strength and wellness. You want your body strong, your mind clear, and to avoid those injury blues that so many people face. We offer our condolences for this difficult time, and extend our services if you find that you may need them. Every employer is different, and many will do right by you in this event. However, if they do not— we are here for you.
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.
Nov 4, 2018 | Work Injuries, Workers' Compensation
Depending on the conditions under which you work, you might find that you’re facing a handful of occupational hazards, or resulting injuries. While some may not be very serious, others can have a life long impact. If you work in factories, or construction sites, you might be exposed to loud noises on a daily basis. For this reason, among others, hearing loss can be a potential lifelong work injury that you receive. If you find yourself suffering from any degree of hearing loss as a result of the workplace, it might be a good idea to speak with an attorney about what actions you can take to compensate for your loss of quality of life.
Hearing Loss as a Work Injury
The state of North Carolina has some guidelines in place for how to deal with these cases. Like many other diseases and injuries, your hearing issues can be a direct result of your work environment. Therefore, employees may be able to receive workers comp for this. But there are some stipulations in these cases.
Total vs partial hearing loss. Permanent sensorineural loss of hearing in both ears would result in workers comp. In short, all that means is permanent deafness due to damage in the ear caused by exposure to a loud noise. In this case, an employees may receive up to 150 weeks of workers comp. That means around 2/3 of the employees weekly salary paid out for 150 weeks.
Partial hearing loss. In the case of partial hearing loss, the employer will only pay for any hearing lost while working at the company. For instance, most companies will ask a new employer to take a hearing test before beginning work. Therefore, they will compare the pre-test to a current test.
Loss in both ears. In order to receive workers comp, an employee must suffer loss in both ears. If an employee only experiences a loss of hearing in one ear, then he will not be eligible for workers comp.
Like many other injuries, hearing loss can leave you eligible for workers comp. However, having an attorney in place can help you make that determination. We wish you luck in facing this issue, and offer our condolences for you loss of quality of life.
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.
