If you suffer a serious back injury, it can potentially qualify as a disability. It may keep you from being able to work at all. For instance, a construction worker whose back was consistently in spasm wouldn’t be able to lift heavy tools and materials safely. Even an office worker may not be able to sit for extended periods of time at their desk due to a back injury.
But the way that these back injuries develop can be different from one profession to another. It’s important for workers to understand how these injuries can happen, how they may impact their ability to work and that compensation may be available to help workers treat and recover from work-related back injuries.
The nursing industry
Nurses have a higher back injury rate than the total for all other occupations. Part of the reason for this high rate is simply that nurses often have to support or lift heavy patients. Nurses also work in a high-stress industry where a lift may need to be performed right away, even if they would prefer to wait for help.
The labor industry
Back injuries are also a serious issue for those who are working as laborers. They may move materials or stock consistently throughout their shifts. They may pick up items in a warehouse and transfer them into a vehicle again and again. This type of physical labor takes a toll over time.
Repetitive motion industries
Many back injuries result from basic repetitive motions. Someone may not have to make one extraordinarily heavy lift or do something where they immediately feel their back give out. But doing the same small motion every day, for years on end, can lead to chronic pain.
Injuries caused by falls
In many industries, one of the greatest risks that people face is a fall. This scenario could be as drastic as a roofer falling from two stories up or as seemingly minor as someone slipping and falling in a store. A greater distance does increase the odds of a serious injury, but even a fall on the same level could lead to significant back injuries.
What should workers do next?
When someone has been injured so severely that they cannot work, their condition is considered either a temporary or permanent disability. This can have a drastic impact on their finances and may require significant medical care, so they need to know exactly what legal steps they can take to seek rightful compensation.