Firm Assists Victims of Workplace Accidents Caused By Overexertion
Dothan workers’ compensation lawyers assert your right to benefits
On the job, many workers press their bodies to their limits, but people can only go so far before reaching the breaking point. That’s why employees in many industries, from construction to warehousing to firefighting often suffer harm due to overexertion. While more overexertion injuries are more common in older workers, anyone can misjudge the physical requirements of a job task and wind up hurt and unable to work. Unfortunately, employers and their insurance companies often are reluctant to pay workers’ compensation benefits to claimants dealing with physical problems relating to overexertion. Getting the medical treatment you require and the wage replacement you deserve can be an uphill battle. If you have your claim for benefits denied, Carey & Hamner, P.C. in Dothan can help. Our workers’ compensation attorneys have vast experience appealing denials, and we’re ready to fight on your behalf.
Frequent causes and common injuries due to overexertion
Overexertion commonly occurs when a worker:
- Lifts a heavy object
- Carries a heavy object for too great a distance
- Remains too long at a task without a break
- Performs physical labors in difficult conditions, such as extreme heat
The immediate results of overexertion can also be dangerous to others. If a worker drops a heavy object, someone else could easily be hurt. If workers are carrying an object together and one person’s strength gives out, the other person could be injured.
The consequences to the worker who overexerts himself or herself can include:
- Muscle and/or ligament strain
- Slipped disc
- Heat stroke
- Heart attack or stroke
- Fainting and/or falling with subsequent trauma to the body
- Traumatic injuries from dropped objects, such as concussion, bruising or broken bones
Chronic overexertion can take a permanent toll on a worker’s joints, back and neck as well as the worker’s cardiovascular health.
Skillful advocates handle workers’ comp actions and third-party negligence lawsuits
Unfortunately, even if an employer is negligent and a workers’ compensation accident occurs as a result, workers’ compensation bars the worker from suing an employer for personal injury. The worker’s remedy is limited to workers’ compensation benefits. These include:
- Medical treatment — Injured workers are entitled to reimbursement for all necessary and reasonable medical care.
- Wage replacement — If an injured worker cannot return to the job, workers’ comp pays two-thirds of the worker’s average weekly wage for each week of disability, up to a limit set by the state.
- Permanent partial disability — If an overexertion injury leads to a permanent loss of function, requiring lighter duty, workers’ comp pays a cash benefit to compensate for some of the lost income.
- Permanent total disability — In rare cases, an overexertion injury, such as a heart attack, can prevent a worker from ever resuming gainful employment. Workers’ comp pays permanent disability benefits based on the normal span of a worker’s career.
To claim your benefits, you should report the injury and file a claim as soon as possible. If your employer denies your claim, contact a Dothan workers’ compensation lawyer at our firm to fight for your rights.
Contact an Alabama workers’ comp lawyer for a free consultation about your overexertion injury
Carey & Hamner, P.C. in Dothan represents clients in workers’ compensation disputes involving overexertion injuries. To schedule a free initial consultation, call 855-435-4797 or contact us online. Our office is located across Main Street from the First United Methodist Church.
