Workers Compensation and Back Injuries

Workers Compensation and Back Injuries

If you suffered a back injury while on the job, you’re already aware that back injuries can be extremely painful. They can also make it impossible to perform even simply tasks such as tying one’s shoes or cooking. It can also make it impractical to return to work. A workers compensation lawyer is very familiar with this scenario, and it is one that is all too common. If you sustained a serious injury at work, a lawyer may be able to help you get a settlement which can replace your lost income and pay for all of your injury-related costs.

Workers Compensation Benefits

In a perfect world, every worker who sustains any kind of injury receives sufficient benefits from workers compensation to pay for all of their lost wages and accident costs such as medical care. However, that rarely happens. In fact, workers compensation does not pay you your full wages, even if you are unable to work because of a work injury for which you were not at fault. This can be unfair, and if you are denied any benefits for one or more reasons, you may be unable to afford proper medical care to treat your condition. If your personal health insurance does not cover your injury related costs, you may have to seek less than acceptable medical care and insufficient or no medications. As a result, you may not heal as fast or as fully as you might otherwise. For these reasons, it’s important to contact a workers compensation lawyer as soon as possible.

The Nature of Back Injuries

Many back injuries are mild and do not require significant care or recovery time. In those cases, the worker’s physician may recommend that the employee stays home from work for a minimal period of time and take over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication. However, more serious back injuries can require significant recovery time and necessitate staying home for an extended period. If this describes you, workers compensation benefits may not be enough to pay for your injury treatment and everyday bills because you’re not able to generate your normal level of income. You may have options available to you in lieu of workers compensation.

Personal Injury Claims

A workers compensation lawyer New York trusts can help you get the compensation they deserve after suffering a terrible injury while on the job. Depending on the circumstances of your case, you may qualify for a settlement as a result of a successful personal injury claim. In lieu of workers compensation, you may be better off filing a claim against the party responsible for your injury. Very often such a settlement is far greater than what you might hope to receive from workers compensation benefits. It requires an experienced workers compensation lawyer to analyze the details of your case and make this determination.

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Thank you to our friends and contributors at Polsky, Shouldice & Rosen, PC for their insight into workers compensation.