Life is unpredictable — including in the workplace. No matter how careful employees are or how closely employers follow safety guidelines, injuries still occur.
Suffering a job-related accident has significant repercussions, from time off work and missed paychecks to possible chronic pain. With so much at stake, it’s crucial to take the proper steps to protect your health and finances.
At Steel City Spine and Orthopedic Center, Dr. Jocelyn Idema, Dr. Ari Pressman, and our expert staff provide cutting-edge treatment for musculoskeletal problems and help patients navigate the workers’ compensation process.
Whether you’re hurt at work or elsewhere, we develop proven, customized treatment plans for patients at our offices in Western Pennsylvania and South Florida to ensure the best possible outcomes.
Workplace injuries
Employees may seem more prone to injury in certain jobs, like construction, but accidents can happen in any field. Many issues are musculoskeletal — broken bones, ligament sprains, muscle strains, disc herniations and other back problems, and more.
Injuries can occur suddenly or develop gradually due to job-related repetitive movements.
Workers’ compensation
Employers pay into an insurance program that compensates employees who are injured or become sick on the job. Workers’ compensation covers workers regardless of whether the injury is the fault of the employer or employee.
After an injury
If you’re hurt on the job, take these steps to safeguard your health and advance the workers’ compensation process.
Get medical treatment
Most importantly, determine the severity of the injury and call 911 or go to the emergency room immediately if appropriate. For less serious issues, make a doctor’s appointment for an evaluation. Let your provider know the injury happened on the job.
Inform your employer
Make sure to document your injury with your employer as soon as possible even if you don’t think it’s too serious. There may be a time window to claim workers’ compensation benefits, so act promptly.
Keep a record
Take photographs of the injury, where it happened, and anything else that might be pertinent, such as dangerous conditions or equipment. Write down what occurred as soon as possible while the details are still fresh in your mind.
Keep notes of visits to doctors, including dates and what was discussed at the appointments. Request access to patient portals to view, download, or print test results, doctors’ notes, prescriptions, and more. Documentation may help your workers’ compensation claim.
How we can help
Steel City Spine and Orthopedic Center can help you navigate the workers’ compensation process, including performing independent medical evaluations, which might be needed to make a claim.
And, if you’ve suffered a back or neck injury, we can make a prompt diagnosis and get you started on a personalized treatment plan for the fastest recovery possible.
To learn more about how we can help if you’re hurt on the job, call Steel City Spine and Orthopedic Center today.