One of the advantages of working for a large chain store like Lowe's is that there will be an established state workers’ compensation agreement in place in case you develop a sickness or injury while at work. This compulsory insurance scheme means that as long as your injury or illness is legitimately work related you should be able to make a claim for earnings lost because of absence from work as well as all medical expenses. It can be surprisingly difficult to get your workers’ comp. claim accepted and you might find that a workers’ comp. attorney can speed the whole process up and ensure you get what you deserve. Lowe’s Companies Inc. – A Profile Lowe’s is a well known chain store with locations across the continental United States as well as in many Canadian and Mexican cities. The company employs over 260,000 people who work in all sectors of this retail store operation. Lowe’s specializes in home improvement and hardware products and its closest competitor is the Home Depot. Both chains tend to try and appeal to slightly different markets to avoid the most direct competition. Lowe’s 1,840 stores and its annual gross income are somewhat less than the Home Depot. Because of the size of the chain, workers’ comp. insurance is a standard part of employee protection in case of injury or illness. A Pinched Nerve Workers’ Compensation Claim at Lowe's Pinched nerves are quite commonplace in some types of occupation and it is likely that a company like Lowe’s would have at any one time quite a number of its employees complaining about developing this painful injury. A pinched nerve occurs when a nerve is squeezed between adjoining tissue or bone. The pain caused can radiate out from the location of the compressed nerve and be felt in many more areas. It will not disappear without rest and treatment. Because pinched nerve injuries may be caused by standing on one's feet for prolonged periods as is typical for sales staff and cashiers at Lowe’s, it would be almost impossible to return to work until the injury had been dealt with and the pain significantly reduced. Workers’ comp. claims are typically made up of two main components, medical expenses and a portion of the lost earnings. A Lowe’s worker suffering from a painful pinched nerve complaint would need to visit the doctor for diagnosis, have x-rays and scans to determine the exact condition of the nerve, possible surgery if there is a possibility of removing tissue that is causing compression of the nerve, as well as medication, particularly painkillers. All this costs money and would be claimed for. A pinched nerve typically means you may take anywhere between two weeks to a month before you'd be able to return to work, depending on the severity of the injury. It is unusual for pinched nerve injuries to lead to permanent disability. A sales specialist at Lowe’s might earn between $13.56 and $19.56 an hour. If a sales employee was unable to come to work for three weeks because of the need for treatment and recovery, he or she might claim a fraction, typically two thirds, of the normal wage earned a week for the three weeks. Reasons Why You Might Turn to an Attorney Although as an injured or sick employee you would have the right to claim workers’ comp. if you developed a pinched nerve as a result of the type of job you were doing at Lowe’s, it doesn’t mean that actually getting the money back would be easy. Insurers, in particular, may not agree to the claim unless I can be proved that it was a result of work habits. It’s a good idea to contact an experienced workers’ comp. attorney as soon as you can to discuss the injury and how you should go about claiming compensation. *Disclaimer The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Lowe’s or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
