If you have the misfortune to hurt your back while working at Trader Joes, you could be entitled to workers’ compensation. This is because Trader Joes, like most employers, protects its workers by providing workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ compensation is available to help you through the financial hardship of a hurt back caused by an injury you developed while at work. Common Back Injuries That Could Cause Your Back to Hurt Most back injuries that are serious enough that they cause the back to hurt are the following: spinal cord damage; pinched nerve; lower back strain; herniated, bulging and slipped disc; fractured vertebrae. Many jobs at Trader Joes involve moving from place to place such as unloading goods from delivery trucks, stacking shelves, cleaning floors and cashiers collecting money from customers. All these jobs could cause injuries that cause the back to hurt. Sometimes back pain takes place when a carton of a product is lifted but it is so heavy it exerts pressure on the back causing an injury and a hurt back pain. A back injury could take place if a Trader Joes worker slips and falls on a substance left on a floor, falls backwards and strikes the back on a protruding object. If you have hurt your back and must take time off work to recover from the injury you should file an application for workers’ comp. This will provide you with the financial security you are entitled to due to unexpectedly hurting your back. How to File a WC Claim with Traders Joes for a Hurt Back As soon as you leave your Trader Joes workplace because you have hurt your back,you must report the injury to your supervisor, preferably in writing and you should make sure you have a copy of the letter. If your hurt back injury is serious and you need to go to an emergency room in an ambulance you can ask a co-worker to inform your employer. Before you seek medical treatment, you should find out if you need to see a Trader Joes physician or attend an emergency room or hospital approved by Trader Joes. This could affect your eligibility for workers’ compensation. The WC claim process It is not a simple process to win a WC claim because your employer’s WC insurer will want evidence that can be proved without a reasonable doubt that you hurt your back while at work. The kinds of evidence you could include are: a physician’s report with a diagnosis and likely recovery time; photos of the accident site; receipts for medical treatment you have paid for; X-rays and scans showing the back injury; security camera footage, if it’s available; the copy of the accident report to your supervisor; the eye-witness reports showing how the accident took place; As soon as you have all the proof that supports your WC claim you must contact a WC attorney who will work hard on your behalf to get your workers’ compensation entitlement. Consult a WC Attorney When you arrange a consultation with your attorney a decision will be made if you have sufficient evidence to support your WC claim. The benefit of an attorney is the vast experience they have had filing WC for clients. You do not have to worry about paying up front as WC attorneys work on a contingency fee basis meaning you only pay the fees when a WC settlement has been reached. *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 Trader Joes, or any other company, you may not be entitled to any compensation. Additional Resources I Got Hurt Working for Trader Joe's. What Do I Do? Back Pain and Workers' Compensation Claims
