If you or someone you love suffered brain damage while on the job, the injured person may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Brain damage can be mild, moderate, or severe. Some people who suffer from brain damage can continue to work with modifications, while others are not able to. Regardless of how the brain damage occurred, it takes time to recover. If you or someone you love suffered brain damage while on the job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. These benefits may be able to assist you with paying your monthly expenses and medical care. Even with health insurance, a diagnosis of brain damage as a result of an on-the-job injury can be financially devastating. Workers’ compensation may be able to help offset this concern. Workers’ Compensation and You Every state has a law on the books that says most employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance. This policy is used by workers who are hurt on the job or who develop an occupational disease. There is no cost to employees. To get help through workers’ compensation for brain damage, the worker or someone related to the worker with brain damage must file a claim through the employer. Workers’ compensation claims can assist you with emergency medical care, follow up visits, therapies, surgery, and medications. It can also provide a portion of the worker’s lost wages on either a temporary or a permanent basis. For workers who will not be able to return to their original occupation, but who may still be able to work in some capacity, workers’ compensation may provide job training. This can help workers with brain damage learn a new trade and get back into the workforce. Risk of Brain Damage Brain damage, more recently called traumatic brain injury, is a serious issue. Brain damage may sound easily explainable as damage to the brain, but in reality it is more unpredictable. It’s almost impossible to know the lasting effects from a brain injury. The risk of brain damage exists in almost any occupation. If you’re a server and you slip at work, you may hit your head hard enough to cause brain damage. If you regularly drive as part of your job duties, a car wreck can cause permanent and severe brain damage. If you work in a paint factory, you may be exposed to fumes that damage your brain. For brain damage to be covered by workers’ compensation, it must be proven that the brain damage was directly caused by your work. This isn’t always easy to do. The first step for you is to immediately report your injury to your supervisor or to Human Resources if you notice the following symptoms: Difficulty understanding information Change in vision, hearing, or sense of touch Difficulty speaking or expressing one’s self Difficulty understanding others Shorter attention span Memory loss Inability to make decisions Balance issues Headache Mental fatigue Paralysis Irritability Seizures or tremors Loss of consciousness The above list isn’t all-inclusive. However, you hit your head or experience any of the above symptoms, it is very important that you get medical attention right away. Learn About Your Rights Under the Law If you or someone you love has brain damage because of an on-the-job injury, you need to learn and understand about your rights under workers’ compensation law. Make it a point to talk with a workers’ compensation attorney right away. They can explain your rights and answer any questions that you may have about benefits.
