Types of Workers’ Compensation Injuries

What Types of Injuries are Covered by the Workers’ Comp System?

There are various kinds of injuries that occur when an employee gets hurt on the job. Workers’ compensation benefits are a form of wage replacement for an employee who is recovering and unable to work. In the state of Florida, your employer does not necessarily have to be at fault for your injury. You just must have been hurt while on the clock.

Types of Workers’ Comp Injuries

Amputations. The loss of a limb, or any extremity, is life altering but may be necessary after getting severely injured at work. This happens when extremely sharp objects are mishandled, or a body part gets caught in machinery. Sometimes amputation is necessary when a worker suffers a severe burn or in the aftermath of an infection that can’t be controlled.
Arm Injury. Arm injuries are some of the most common work-related injuries in the state of Florida. They include sprains and strains, broken and fractured bones, nerve problems, and dislocated joints.
Back Injury. There are many kinds of workplace back injuries. From sprains and strains of the back muscles to herniated discs which can lead to nerve pain. Workers can also suffer compression fractures from falls, broken vertebrae from trauma, and spinal cord injuries that can lead to paralysis.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Carpal Tunnel affects the median nerve in the wrist and palm and is responsible for their movements. It can lead to numbness, tingling, and sharp pain in the hands and fingers. Repetitive movement like tight gripping and typing contribute to carpal tunnel syndrome.
Catastrophic Injury. These injuries are life changing as they cause permanent disfigurement and severely limit the injured person’s physical abilities. Some even become totally and permanently disabled. These types of injuries often happen to operators of commercial vehicles who get in wrecks.
Chemical Exposure. This refers to contact with toxic or hazardous substances while on the job. Some cause damage not just from being touched, but also when inhaled. If the proper safety equipment is not available and in use, an employee may experience respiratory problems and disorientation, but with extended exposure they can get very ill, suffer organ damage, cancer, neurological injuries, birth defects, and even death.
Cuts and Lacerations. When an employee gets cut on the job the injury may be superficial. A laceration goes deeper than the surface of the skin, and can affect tendons, ligaments, muscles, and bones. These injuries are often the result of a fall near sharp surfaces, broken glass, exposed metals, or mishandling certain tools.
Death. Loss of life is devastating for the family of the deceased and for the employer and co-workers of that person. The surviving family members can file to receive benefits when an employee has died from a work-related accident.
Head Injury. Head injuries that happen on the job can range from concussions and contusions to traumatic brain injuries or TBI. TBIs occur from accidents that both penetrate and do not penetrate the skull. Some may be mild while others can cause permanent brain damage depending on the extent and severity of the injury.
Hearing Loss. Hearing loss is a very common workplace injury that happens when employees have not been provided with proper ear protection for specific occupational noise levels that cause permanent damage to the ears.
Knee Injury. Knee injuries that happen at work can occur at just about any kind of job. A fall or repetitive movement can cause ligament damage that may need surgery and physical therapy. Recovery for knee injuries requires downtime to allow the damage to fully heal.
Neck Injury. Whiplash and soft tissue injuries are very common neck injuries that happen on the job. More severe injuries include cervical dislocation, herniated discs, and neck fractures- all of which can possibly require surgery to be repaired. Neck injuries affect workers of every age group and can be inflicted from trauma or just overuse.
Pre-existing Conditions. When an employee has a preexisting condition that has been aggravated at work the major contributing cause to the current state of the injury has to have happened during work and is more than 50% responsible for the problem.
Repetitive Trauma. Many states do not consider repetitive stress injuries compensable by workers’ compensation coverage, but in Florida they are. They include injuries such as tendonitis, rotator cuff problems, knee, neck and back injuries that occur from repetitive heavy lifting, and carpal tunnel syndrome.
Shoulder Injury. Shoulder injuries are another very common workplace injury especially in divisions of manual labor. The shoulder can become dislocated, fractured, and rotator cuff injuries can cause nerve impingement, which is very painful, limiting range of motion and the ability to sleep comfortably.

Choose Politis & Matovina, P.A. if You Have Been Hurt at Work

If you or your loved one have experienced any of these injuries while they were at work, you should contact an experienced Florida workers’ compensation attorney immediately. Many companies claim that they take care of their own, that is until one of their own gets seriously injured and requires a lot of expensive medical treatment. At Politis & Matovina, P.A., we could evaluate your case and help you understand your rights under Florida’s laws regarding your status as an injured employee.

Give us a call for a free consultation at (386) 333-6613 today.