When facing an injury, workers can expect compensation laws to provide them with time off to recover according to the location and severity of their injury. However, some injuries are not readily apparent in where they affect. For example, back injury could put strain on the shoulders or legs, making what seemed to be a simple injury into something that affects the body as a whole. In these cases, an injured worker may be able to secure workers’ compensation benefits to help him or her recover from an accident.
Many industrial accidents are classified as body-as-a-whole injuries, which include the important areas of the back, hips, neck, and similar regions that can create less definable injuries when compared to a broken arm or severely sprained ankle. While a fractured limb will heal, or a person can learn to walk with a severed toe through physical therapy, an injury to the back or neck certainly can present chronic problems or weakness that could become a problem for the remainder of that employee’s career.
Industrial accident compensation is meant to cover the expectations of a worker’s lost ability to succeed in his or her field of work. Especially in jobs that require a great deal of physical labor, a fairly simple injury can compromise any worker’s ability to complete his or her daily tasks, which could potentially lose them a promotion or yearly bonuses.
As with most of workers’ compensation law, receiving coverage for an industrial injury can be a complicated process of convincing employers or insurance companies of the severity of the accident. While some claims succeed, the amount of time off and financial expense that can accompany an industrial accident can also be more highly scrutinized by those employers or insurers trying to keep their expenses low. If you want to learn more about how industrial accidents are treated under the law, contact a workers’ compensation attorney.