Common Injuries Covered by Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ compensation insurance may be a mystery. You may understand the point of it, but not what is and isn’t covered. In truth, all injuries are not created or covered equally, especially given the situation under which you may have received them. Workers’ compensation benefits are not available at every company and to every employee. State law determines whether an employer is required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. If you know your company has you covered, you may want to familiarize yourself with some of the injuries commonly covered.

Sprains and Soft Tissue Injuries

Sprains or soft tissue injuries are some of the most common in the workplace. They are usually caused by tripping or slipping and falling. The severity of the damage depends mainly on how it happened and what part of the body was impacted. For example, a strain to the back may last longer and put you out of work for an extended time, while a sprained ankle may be inconvenient but not as painful or long-lasting.

Fractures

Falling is no laughing matter, especially if you do it at work. Depending on where you work, it can mean more than embarrassment. Falls on a construction site, for example, are much more treacherous than those at a law office. However, this does not mean that an office fall should be discounted. A broken bone can take a long time to heal, especially if it was a clean break. A common way to break your wrist on the job is by holding it out to brace yourself during a fall. Other parts of the body can be impacted by a broken bone due to a shifting in weight or use from one limb to the other while healing.

Repetitive Motion

Doing the same task over and over can do more than get boring. The motion itself can wear down vital muscles and ligaments in the overused areas. If your job requires some repetitive task, then an injury caused by it may be covered under workers’ compensation. The most common repetitive motion injury is carpal tunnel syndrome. The injury deals with an overuse of the hands, such as in keyboarding, sewing and assembling items in a factory. 

It occurs when the ulnar nerve becomes compressed due to irritation in the forearm and wrist. When this happens, the fingers can get tingly and the wrist and hands achy. People who suffer from carpal tunnel syndrome may have to undergo a surgical procedure to release the pressure on the nerve.

Understanding your rights when an injury happens at work is essential. A workers’ compensation lawyer in Milwaukee, WI may be your best resource should you find yourself searching for answers.

Thanks to Hickey & Turim SC. for their insight into workers’ compensation benefits.