Workplace Injuries Take Time and Effort to Recover

According to the Massachusetts Department of Health and Human Services, about 66 workers die on the job each year in our state. Many more are injured and struggle to regain their livelihood after injuries caused by slip and falls and crush accidents. The Massachusetts Division of Occupational Safety reports that in one recent year there were 82,600 nonfatal injuries and illnesses reported among the more than 2.85 million private sector workers in Massachusetts.

Of the reported accidents, over 40% of the workers lost days from work, and 14% of the workers had to change jobs or duties due to their injuries. Work-related injuries can range from carpal tunnel syndrome caused by repetitive motions to paralysis from a tragic fall. The most serious injuries may require time away from work and months or years of medical treatment.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that workers in construction and the transportation and warehousing industries who were hurt on the job required the greatest number of days off to recover from their injuries. Both industries had high incidence rates for injuries requiring a full month or more away from work. Overall, however, laborers and freight, stock, and material movers had the highest total number of days away from work for injuries and illnesses in 2010.

Common workplace injuries involve the foot and ankle, knee, shoulder and elbow, neck and back, or head.Treatment for these may include surgery, hospitalization, physical therapy, and use of medical devices such as wheelchairs and crutches, as well as prescription medicine. Following doctors’ orders and attending each treatment session and medical appointment is critical to ensure a proper and full recovery.

While the physical stress of a serious workplace injury is challenging for an injured worker and his or her family, the financial stress can be devastating. Many workers that lose income during an injury will struggle to take care of their family until they are able to return to work. Workers suffering from a debilitating injury may never be able to return to their job – or an equivalent one. It is important for Massachusetts workers to understand that workers’ compensation is availableand can provide the necessary financial support for recovery from workplace injuries.

Massachusetts employers are required by state law to have workers’ compensation insurance covering employees who are injured on the job or fall ill because of work. Workers’ compensation may cover medical treatment and make up for some of the wages the worker would have earned had the injury or illness not occurred.

However, errors in forms, disputes with the employer and other issues can slow, or even prevent, the issuance of compensation to injured workers. Contacting an experienced Massachusetts workers’ compensation lawyer firm is an important step in recovery to ensure the collection of the full benefits an employee is due after a workplace accident.

For more than 20 years, Kantrovitz & Associates, P.C., has represented the interests of injured and ill workers throughout Massachusetts, including but not limited to Boston, Essex, Middlesex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Plymouth and Merrimack River. We also represent Rhode Island and New Hampshire residents whose injuries occurred in Massachusetts or who were hired in Massachusetts but who were injured out of state.

For a free case evaluation of your workers’ compensation claim, please complete our online form or call Kantrovitz & Associates, P.C., toll-free at 800-367-0871 to speak with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.