Shoulder injuries are one of the most common injuries in the workplace. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, they happen most frequently in the manufacturing industry and in the construction industry. Many people suffer from rotator cuff tears that cause pain and debilitation. Repetitive motions while performing the same task repeatedly can cause these injuries. Other common causes include accidents and falls, workplace violence, and sports.
Further, a good number of people who work on a computer are prone to shoulder injury. This can be because they have poor posture or because their workspace is not ergonomic enough.
We will focus on the latter (for both cases) and what you can do to ensure that your workplace is ergonomic and comfortable for you.
Shoulder Injury at Workplace.
If you suffer from a shoulder injury at work, file a worker’s compensation claim, and seek medical attention. If your shoulder has been injured at work and you’re not sure how to proceed, or you’re worried that your case won’t get a fair hearing, you should call a Workers Compensation Attorney for help. As always, before doing anything that could affect your legal rights, you should discuss your situation with an experienced work injury lawyer. If you want to see your doctor, or if you have already seen your doctor and your state law allows your employer to appoint your doctor, you should immediately discuss your workers’ compensation claim with an attorney
Keep in mind that if you have a workers’ compensation claim, you may also need to see an approved doctor, but in this case, you may not want to rely solely on the advice of an approved doctor. Although shoulder surgery is not required in approximately 75% of cases, it is important to work closely with physicians to quickly and fully submit cases to workers’ insurance companies. That’s why insurance company-approved attending physicians must visit injured workers to assess the extent of injury suffered as a result of an industrial accident. This way, work-related injury insurers can better understand the cause, extent and limitations of work-related injuries and be able to make a final decision on a claim.
It is also important to understand this process so that you can ensure that your employer and any claims adjusters are making a fair assessment. The workers’ compensation process can look different for each worker depending on the nature and severity of the injury, the short and long term effects on job skills, and how the employer and claims manager respond to the request. If you follow these three tips, you will have a better chance of getting your application approved and fairly compensated for your injury.
In addition to the notice of injury that must be delivered to your employer, you must file also a written request with the OWCP within one (1) year from the date of injury; or, if the employer has voluntarily paid compensation payments, the written request must be made within one year of the last compensation payment. If you have had shoulder pain in the past or required rotator cuff surgery, state that your symptoms have resolved and that you were able to return to work before the injury you are requesting.
Settlements
Depending on the facts of your injury, your prognosis, and your job, the compensation you may receive for a shoulder injury at work will vary. Your Workers’ Comp Attorney will explain the process of determining workers’ compensation in shoulder injury resolution and what options you have as an injured worker. The average compensation amount for a worker’s shoulder injury ranges from $25,000 to $175,000. Your request maybe set within or outside this range.
If you or your loved one has sustained shoulder injuries at your respective workplace, contact an experienced Workers Compensation attorney.
As shoulder injuries can be overwhelming and complicated it is advisable to consult professionals in this matter. Contact experienced Shoulder Injury Attorneys from San Gabriel Workers’ Compensation and Personal Injury Lawyers to represent you and your claim.
Call 626-602-9483 to book a free evaluation.