Damage to the neck and back are common results of on-the-job injuries. Heavy lifting, repetitive strain, a slip and fall, or even working long hours at a desk can all cause neck and back injuries that are extremely painful and aching, debilitating, long-lasting or even permanent without the right kind of treatment. Working is often impossible after a neck or back injury; the injury severely restricts your freedom of movement, and even when you can move, doing so only adds to the pain or makes your condition worse.
If you suffer a neck or back injury on the job, workers’ compensation should pay for your medical treatment and replace a portion of your wages while you are out of work, giving you time to heal and holding your job for you until you are ready to come back to work. Unfortunately, employers and their insurance carriers aren’t always so generous when it comes to paying benefits. Instead, they try to find ways to argue your injury doesn’t qualify for workers’ comp. Buzzell, Welsh & Hill can help. We are one of Middle Georgia’s biggest workers’ compensation law firms, with a large team of attorneys who are all skilled and experienced in helping injured workers get benefits when their claims are delayed, denied, underpaid or terminated. If you suffered a neck or back injury at work and are having trouble getting workers’ comp, call our neck & back work injury attorneys today.
Neck Injuries on the Job
Neck injuries can happen at work for a variety of reasons. Some of the most common reasons include if the neck gets hyperextended or twisted in a sudden movement, or over time if the employee’s workspace is not ergonomically designed and the worker isn’t given proper supports or breaks. A fall can also cause a neck injury, including both falls from heights as well as slips or trips and falls. Getting struck by a falling or swinging object is another common source of neck injury, and of course, car and truck accidents are a leading cause of neck injuries on and off the job.
Damage from a neck injury can range from temporary pain and limited motion to chronic pain or paralysis, and severe neck injuries can be immediately fatal or lead to death. Common types of neck injuries that workers’ compensation should pay for include:
- Muscle spasms
- Pinched nerves
- Broken neck
- Dislocated cervical spine
- Strains
- Sprains
- Soft tissue injuries
- Whiplash
- Herniated discs in the cervical spine
Work-Related Back Injuries
Construction workers, warehouse workers, factory workers, tradespeople, and all manual laborers put their backs at risk of a work-related injury daily. Bending and lifting heavy objects, reaching overhead, or catching falling objects can all lead to a back injury, whether in a single traumatic event or over time due to repetitive movements. Nurses and healthcare workers who repeatedly lift and transfer patients are prone to back injuries for the same reasons. Slip and fall accidents, falls from heights, being struck by objects, and car and truck accidents are other leading causes of back injuries in the workplace.
As with neck injuries, back injuries range from painful and limiting to completely immobilizing or paralyzing. Any back injury that arises out of and in the course of employment should be covered by workers’ compensation. Some of the most common back injuries on the job are:
- Muscle tears
- Sprains
- Strains
- Back Spasms
- Soft tissue injuries
- Herniated discs
- Spinal stenosis
- Facet joint injuries
- Broken back or spine
- Paralysis
Our Workers’ Compensation Team Helps With Neck & Back Injury Disputes
Insurance companies have a pocketful of excuses they like to trot out when faced with a neck or back injury workers’ compensation claim. Often these excuses revolve around claiming the injury is not work-related. For instance, they’ll say you got injured playing sports on the weekend or if you were in a car accident in the recent past, or they’ll say you have degenerative disc disease or some other condition related to aging. We can help by providing the factual documentation and medical evidence that proves a connection between the injury and employment, whether your injury stems from a single accident or occurred over time. It’s also important to know that even if you have a prior back injury, to the extent that injury is aggravated or worsened at work, you are entitled to benefits.
The insurance carriers might also dispute the injury itself, especially if it is a soft tissue injury such as a strain or sprain that doesn’t show up on an x-ray. They are also known to argue over what treatment they will pay for, sometimes preferring surgery to fuse your spine or remove discs when non-surgical or less invasive options might be better for you. You aren’t just another claim number or cost on a spreadsheet to us. We take the time to meet with you and focus on what is best for you, and we’ll fight to see that your claim is covered and that you get the medical treatment and other workers’ comp benefits you need and deserve.
Contact Buzzell, Welsh & Hill Today
If you have suffered a neck or back injury due to an accident, illness or injury on the job, the team at Buzzell, Welsh & Hill can help you get the benefits you are entitled to under workers’ compensation law. Call our neck & back work injury lawyers today for your free consultation.
