Herniated disc injuries are quite common in employees who have a lot of heavy or awkward lifting to do. If you work at the Home Depot, for example, the work may involve regular moving and lifting of large and heavy home improvement goods. The pain from a herniated disc can often mean staying at home and seeking treatment or at least pain relief. Staying at work may make the injury worse and prolong the agony. Like other large corporate employers, Home Depot takes out workers’ compensation insurance to provide compensation for any employees who suffer work related injuries, including herniated discs. Obtaining sufficient compensation is by no means guaranteed and it can help to get advice about how to prepare a claim from an experienced workers’ comp. attorney. How Herniated Disc Injuries can Occur at Work Herniated disc injuries can occur anywhere along the vertebral column, also called the backbone. They tend to occur most often in the lower back, where a lot of bending occurs when an employee lifts large and sometimes heavy packets or cartons. What happens in this sort of injury is that the cartilage that normally helps to lubricate an intravertebral joint actually protrudes from its normal location and presses against an adjacent nerve. Diagnosis is usually straightforward, but CT and MRI scans may be needed to pinpoint the exact nerve that is being affected. Treatment involves taking pain medication, massage, physical therapy and occasionally surgery. Most herniated disc patients recover after several days through to a few weeks off work, depending on how severe the injury is. Filing a WC Claim for a Herniated Disc Against Home Depot It is important to understand your obligations if you intend claiming compensation for a workplace injury. You do need to inform your employer about the injury and your intention to file a claim. The employer must record the nature and date that the injury was notified. State workers’ compensation rules differ a little from state to state so it is important to know how these affect the way you submit your claim. It is vital that you get a proper diagnosis from a doctor and follow the prescribed treatment procedure. Document everything that you do and submit this documentation with your claim. It is best to submit your claim well within the state’s statute of limitations, which could be anything from 2 to 3 years from the date the injury was diagnosed. A Workers’ Compensation Attorney Can Help You With Your Claim Claims may be denied, even for painful work related injuries like herniated discs. One of the most common reasons for denying a claim is that the insurer believes the injury did not occur at work. It is important to work with an experienced workers’ comp. attorney if you are worried about whether your claim will succeed or if your claim has already been denied. Additional Resources Herniated Discs and Workers' Comp Do I Need an Attorney If I Suffered a Herniated Disc at Work? *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 Home Depot, or another party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
