Workers’ Compensation claims come about in many different ways. Some injuries are obvious and happen in an instant, these are called specific injuries. They are often falls, whether it be from a chair or a roof, or anywhere else. Other times, they arise out of a car accident or a construction accident are the most obvious of the work injuries. These can also include contracting a disease from exposure at work.
There are other injuries that are not so obvious, these are usually considered cumulative trauma injuries as they happen over time. They can be orthopedic in nature or they can be internal or psychiatric claims. When a worker develops a back injury whether it occurs from repetitive heavy lifting or prolonged sitting, it is often a work-related injury. When a person has a stroke or a heart attack, stress from work is often found to be the primary, or at least a contributing cause, these are workers’ compensation claims that are often overlooked.
When stress from being overworked or surrounded by a stressful work environment causes you to seek psychiatric treatment or leads to internal problems such as high blood pressure, these are also often overlooked workers’ compensation claims.
Whether your injury is an obvious work related injury or one that is often overlooked, seeking a free consultation to determine if you have a claim or you would need an attorney to assist you is a very wise thing to do. Silberman & Lam, LLP is happy to provide you with a free consultation to discuss your potential claims.