Wide range of injuries eligible for workers’ compensation

Tennessee workers may not be aware of the broad spectrum of injuries that can be the basis for filing a workers’ compensation claim. Some people may assume that workers’ compensation is mainly for people who die in an explosion or throw their backs out lifting heavy machinery parts, but a wide range of injuries exist that may qualify a person to seek a claim. Job-related injuries need not be a one-time occurrence but can be something that occurs routinely and frequently.

One type of possible qualifying injury is a stress-related injury. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome is a stress-related injury caused by repetitive motion over time. Employees who type a lot or employees who ring up a cash register repeatedly may develop carpal tunnel syndrome over years of service. There may be other repetitive motion injuries that affect different parts of the body that may qualify for workers’ compensation.

In a job where very loud noises are normal, such as an airline baggage handler or heavy machinery operator, substantial hearing loss may qualify an employee for workers’ compensation. Again, sudden, violent injuries, like a slip-and-fall or electrocution, certainly warrant looking into the availability of workers’ compensation benefits, but so do injuries that develop slowly over long periods of time.

Workers’ compensation claims are complex legal undertakings that sometimes meet with sustained resistance from employers and insurance companies. An experienced workers’ compensation law firm with access to resources needed to prosecute long and successful claims, including medical experts, wage loss analysts and industry-related experts, may be worth consulting in order to obtain compensation for pain and suffering, lost wages and future medical treatment. If you would like more information on which job-related injuries might qualify for a claim, please visit our firm’s workers’ compensation page.