If you suffered a back injury on the job, you will have mounting medical bills and you will be unable to work as you recover, so you won’t be bringing home a paycheck to cover your living expenses. This can put your family in a real financial bind. Most employers across the U.S. must maintain workers’ compensation coverage to protect themselves and their employees in such situations. This special insurance coverage is provided for their employees at no charge, and it offers protection from work-related injuries regardless of who is at fault for the accident. If you have suffered a back injury on the job, you can file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. What To Do If You Suffer a Back Injury at Work If you suffer a back injury at work, you should notify your manager or supervisor right away. While state laws vary, the statute of limitations for making notification varies from a few days to a few months after the accident. While many states allow verbal notification, some states require that the notification be written. If you fail to meet the deadline, you cannot pursue a claim. You should notify your employer as soon as you can, so tell them the day of the injury if possible. Your workers’ compensation attorney will know your state’s process and can make the notification for you if you enlist help early enough. It is also imperative that you establish medical care right away because failure to do so can result in your claim being denied. If you don’t see a doctor right away, it might seem as though your injury isn’t as serious as you allege or it might be more difficult to prove that you were hurt on the job. The Accident Report For Your Back Injury at Work Your employer will be required to fill out an accident report regarding your injury. For this report, you will be required to provide a statement. You should do this while the incident is fresh in your mind, and it should be very detailed to indicate what transpired. For example, you were working on the sales floor when you took a step and slipped, falling backward and striking your back hard on the concrete floor. You felt tingling down your legs and sharp pains up the middle of your back and radiating into both shoulders. You called out for help and when the coworkers arrived, they said there was some liquid spilled on the floor in the area where you fell. An ambulance was called. Filing Your Claim For Workers’ Compensation After a Back Injury You will need to file your claim for workers’ compensation after a back injury in a timely manner because there are strict statutes of limitations. The timeframe might vary from a few months to a year after the accident. You will complete the claim form and file it with the proper entity, which might be your employer, the state labor department or the state workers’ compensation board depending on your state laws. Your workers’ compensation attorney can handle the complete claims process for you. Get your free case review from a workplace injury attorney in your area today. Additional Resources Does Back Pain Qualify for Workers' Compensation? Spinal Cord Injury and Workers' Compensation
