Office workers and manual laborers alike suffer back injuries at work. In fact, a study by the University of Minnesota found that back injuries are among the most common and costly work-related injuries in the United States. More than a million employees incur work-related back injuries in the United States each year. People missing at least one day of work due to a back injury accounted for roughly one-fourth of all non-fatal injuries and illnesses that caused employees to miss work.
While most employees who suffer back injuries at work quickly return to the job—a back injury causes an employee to miss six working days on average—those who miss longer periods of work—nearly 20 percent of employees with back injuries missed more than a month—account for most of the related health care costs associated with workplace back injuries.
Federal statistics and reports tend to focus on the costs of workplace injuries to employers. However, back injuries can dramatically affect your ability to function normally. Back injuries can result in severe pain, numbness and tingling sensations in extremities, and reduced mobility. Severe symptoms might make routines tasks such as bathing or dressing difficult to perform, and might even require the use of a cane, walker, or wheelchair. These symptoms, in turn, can have dramatic impacts on your ability to work—and thus, your finances.
Work-Related Back Injuries and Your Finances
The lasting and significant financial impact of a job-related back injury can make it difficult or impossible to work. Despite workers’ compensation benefits, lifetime losses can run into the many tens of thousands of dollars or more. Such losses can lead injured employees to borrow money, sell cars, live off savings, and find less expensive housing—including selling off homes and other assets—to counter their income losses.
Roughly two-thirds of all back injuries resulting in workers’ compensation benefits involve employees who miss at least one month or work or receive permanent disability benefits. Employee back-injury problems can result in substantial limits on the ability to engage in normal family activities, including:
- Vacuuming
- Cooking
- Shopping
- Gardening
- Washing dishes
- Mowing the lawn
- Lifting young children
- Playing with children
- Going to children’s events
While workers’ compensation covers most workplace injuries, it limits your compensation for injuries suffered on the job to the amount determined by state law. There are exceptions, though, and consulting an attorney in the event of a workplace back injury is always prudent.
If You Have Suffered a Back Injury at Work in the Indianapolis Area, Contact Personal Injury Law Attorney William W. Hurst
If you sustained an Indianapolis-area workplace accident involving a back injury, consult a personal injury lawyer to determine your rights under the circumstances of your accident.
William W. Hurst, Attorney at Law, can assist in protecting your rights when you are involved in such an accident. Call (317) 636-0808 or use our online contact form for a free consultation.