There is never a convenient time to experience a workplace injury, regardless of the severity of that injury. While you should have workers’ compensation insurance through your employer, there is no guarantee that it will cover the full extent of your losses, especially if your injuries are severe.
If you are being treated unfairly or denied benefits either by your employer or your workers’ compensation insurance company, you might be able to recover compensation for your losses.
The Morris Bart law firm is here to help. We offer a free, no-risk consultation where we help employees explore their options for recovering compensation after a workplace accident. Our Pascagoula workers’ compensation lawyers work on a contingency basis only, which means that we ask for nothing upfront or out-of-pocket from you. We are only paid if we are successful with your case. Contact the Morris Bart law firm today at (800) 537-8185.
Most Common Workplace Accidents
According to the National Safety Council (NSC), a worker is injured on the job every seven seconds. That adds up to nearly 13,000 employees injured every day. In 2017 alone, over 104 million production days were lost because of work-related accidents.
The NSC describes three of the most common accidents that occur in the workplace.
Overexertion
Overexertion can occur as a result of repetitive motions as well as simple actions like lifting, pulling, or carrying heavy objects. Overexertion can also happen when working in extremely hot environments. Employees can overexert themselves in virtually any environment, resulting in more than $15 billion in workers’ compensation costs each year.
Contact With Equipment and Objects
Coming into contact with equipment or objects leads to 26% of workplace injuries. This type of injury could refer to being struck by or against an object or equipment or being caught in between objects or equipment. It also includes accidents where a worker is caught or crushed under a structure that is collapsing.
Slips, Trips, and Falls
Another common workplace accident—accounting for 25.8% of workplace injuries—is slips, trips, and falls. This category includes accidents where someone slips or trips and falls on the same level (like slipping on a wet floor) or falls onto a lower level, such as falling from scaffolding while working on a construction site.
For a free legal consultation with a Workers’ Compensation lawyer serving Pascagoula, call 800-537-8185
Injuries that Can Occur in the Workplace
There are many injuries that employees can encounter in the workplace. The NSC reports that the three most common categories of injuries that keep employees away from work are sprains, strains, or tears; cuts or lacerations; and pain or soreness. Other injuries include:
Lower Back Pain
Lower back pain can occur because of spending too much time sitting at a desk. However, acute lower back pain can also occur because of a sprain or strain in the back muscles or tissue. It can cause severe pain for the employee, and to heal, they may be required to spend as little time as possible sitting in a chair. Ultimately, their inability to sit can make it impossible to perform their normal duties in the workplace.
Knee Injuries
Knee strains and tears can occur quickly as a result of landing on the knee incorrectly while jumping or because of suddenly shifting directions. These injuries often require surgery.
Traumatic Brain Injuries
Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are commonly caused by slip and fall accidents, one of the most common workplace injuries. While TBIs in their less severe form may cause only mild symptoms, if the TBI is serious, it can impair cognitive functioning and change the employee’s personality—potentially causing lifelong impairment or death.
If you are hurt and in pain because of a workplace injury and are being denied benefits or treated unjustly by your employer or the insurance company, a Pascagoula workers’ compensation lawyer may be able to help you pursue compensation for your losses. Contact the Morris Bart law firm today at (800) 537-8185 to discuss your case with a member of our team.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits
The Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission outlines the two basic types of benefits that employees statewide can receive after sustaining an injury.
Medical Benefits
An employee is entitled to receive whatever care is deemed reasonably necessary to help them achieve the greatest possible recovery. Workers’ compensation medical benefits cover things like:
- Hospital stays
- Surgical procedures
- Doctor’s examinations
- Prescription medication
- Treatments like physical or occupational therapy
- Walkers, wheelchairs, and other assistive devices
Lost Wages
To help employees cope financially with the time away from work, they are also entitled to recover two-thirds of their weekly average pay for a period of time. This money is paid every two weeks for as long as the disability continues, up to the time limit for benefits to be paid.
Click to contact our Pascagoula Personal Injury Attorney today
Steps to Take if You Have Been Injured at Work
The first thing you should do if you have been hurt at work is to let your supervisor or another person in an authority position know about the accident. Even if you do not realize you are hurt right away, you should let them know as soon as you realize you did sustain an injury. If you fail to notify them within 30 days of the injury, it could impact your ability to recover compensation through your workers’ compensation insurance.
The next thing you should do is seek treatment from a medical professional. Similar to notifying your employer, if you fail to be seen right away, it could impact your ability to receive compensation. Your employer or the insurance company could assert that your injuries occurred at another time, away from work.
Contact a Pascagoula Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
While you may not necessarily need to retain the help of a Pascagoula workers’ compensation lawyer, having one by your side could give you peace of mind, knowing that you have someone protecting your interests. They can make sure you have the proper medical records documenting your injuries and ensure that your employer and the insurance company are treating you fairly. Our Pascagoula workers’ compensation attorneys work on cases like yours regularly, so they know what steps to take to ensure there are no unnecessary delays.
For a free, no-risk review of your workers’ compensation claim, contact our team at the Morris Bart law firm today at (800) 537-8185.
Questions?Call 800-537-8185
to find a Morris Bart office near you.
