Types of Workplace Injuries

Bristol County Lawyer Helping People Recover Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Numerous scenarios can lead to harm in the workplace, and many types of workplace accidents render people unable to earn an income. While some injuries sustained at work entitles employees to workers’ compensation benefits, not all do, and it is important for people who are hurt at work to speak to an attorney about their rights. If you sustained an injury while working, Bristol County workers’ compensation lawyer James K. Meehan of the Law Office of James K. Meehan can assess the circumstances surrounding your harm and advise you of your options for seeking redress for your losses. Mr. Meehan regularly aids people in the pursuit of workers’ compensation benefits in Bristol County and in Plymouth and Norfolk Counties, and if you hire him, he will zealously pursue any benefits recoverable.

Types of Workplace Injuries

Under the Massachusetts Workers’ Compensation Act (the Act), employees who suffer personal injuries that arise out of and in the course of employment or while they are engaged in the undertakings or business affairs of their employers, may be granted workers’ compensation benefits. Common types of workplace injuries include repetitive use injuries, like carpal tunnel syndrome, and strains, sprains, fractures, and torn ligaments and tendons, which can be caused by slip or trip and fall accidents, or motor vehicle collisions. Amputations, traumatic brain injuries, hemorrhages, and organ failure are less frequently occurring types of harm that may develop as a result of catastrophic accidents, like those that often happen at construction sites.

According to the Act, the definition of personal injury includes not only physical wounds but also contagious or infectious diseases if the risk of contracting such a disease is inherent in the job. For example, if a nurse working in a hospital contracted a communicable disease, he or she may be entitled to benefits. Emotional or mental disabilities that arise out of the intentional infliction of emotional trauma or are predominately caused by an event or series of events occurring within the job may also be deemed personal injuries. If a disease or injury that is compensable combines with a pre-existing condition to create or extend the need for treatment, the resulting condition may be considered a personal injury as well.

The definition of personal injury under the Act does not include harm resulting from a worker’s voluntary participation in any recreational activity, including picnics, parties, or sporting events, regardless of whether the employer pays the cost of the activity.

Benefits Available for Workplace Injuries

People who suffer workplace injuries are often entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. For example, they may be awarded medical benefits, which cover the cost of any care that is suitable and reasonable to treat the employee’s injury. Such medical treatment may include surgery, hospitalizations, adaptive devices, and prescription medication.

Employees who are unable to work, either temporarily or permanently, or who have to work at a reduced level, may be eligible to recover disability benefits. Benefits available include temporary partial disability benefits, temporary total disability benefits, and permanent and total disability benefits. The rate of disability benefits and the length of time they are paid depends on multiple factors, including the extent of the employee’s harm. Vocational rehabilitation benefits may be available for employees who can no longer work in their former field, and benefits for people who suffer disfigurement, scarring, or permanent loss of a bodily function may be recoverable as well.

Consult a Knowledgeable Bristol County Attorney

While there are many types of workplace injuries that can make a person eligible to recover workers’ compensation benefits, an improper assessment of an injury can lead to a delay of benefits or denial of claims. If you suffered harm at work, it is smart to consult an attorney to evaluate whether you may be owed benefits. James K. Meehan of the Law Office of James K. Meehan is a knowledgeable lawyer with ample experience handling workers’ compensation claims, and if you engage his services, he will advocate aggressively on your behalf. Mr. Meehan’s office is located in Taunton, and he regularly aids injured employees in workers’ compensation claims in Bristol County and also in Plymouth and Norfolk Counties. You can contact Mr. Meehan by calling 508-822-6600 or via the online form to schedule a confidential and complimentary consultation.