Injuries that happen on a job site are an issue in every one of the 50 states in this nation. As such, states, employers, employees, and the public at large have a vested interest in addressing work injuries and preventing them as much as possible.
Once injuries happen, though, public concern should extend to the medical treatment received by victims as it is imperative that these individuals become well once again. Studies routinely reflect the fact that injury victims who obtain prompt, competent medical treatment endure better outcomes in the long run than those who are forced to wait for help or who see physicians not qualified to treat a victim’s specific injuries. Now, a new study is revealing the fact that a state’s policy towards workers’ compensation claims may have an effect on victims who sustain low back injuries while working, meaning that the same injury might spur different results depending on the state in which it occurred.
The study was published in the December edition of the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine and it analyzed data from more than 59,000 low back injuries in 49 states. The researchers concluded that approximately five percent of the cost differential for similar injuries in different states was attributable to public policy approaches to workers’ compensation claims and injuries. This in turn meant that the overall cost of treatment varied among the states as did the time missed from work by an employee who was hurt on the job.
A worker in any industry can suffer a low back injury but those who work on assembly lines, in factories, in the aviation industry, healthcare industry, construction jobs, teachers, restaurant workers, and those who drive for a living are particularly vulnerable to these injuries. As workers usually do not think about their potential risks for harm before an on-the-job accident happens, most are unfamiliar with their rights and their options for relief.
The new research makes one thing very clear: the road toward treatment and recovery may vary by factors beyond a worker’s control, including policies enacted by state legislatures aimed at addressing workers’ compensation claims. For these reasons and others, it is wise for all those who are injured while on the clock to contact a personal injury attorney who handles similar claims in the state in which they were harmed.
The legal team at Abels & Annes, P.C. fights daily for the rights of Chicago’s injured victims and their family members and we have been doing so for years. If you were involved in an accident while you were working and you have questions, know that we are standing by to help you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We offer a no-cost, no-obligation case consultation to victims who call us toll free at (855) 529-2442 or locally at (312) 924-7575 and everything discussed will be kept confidential.
If you were hurt, make sure your rights are not ignored. Call Abels & Annes, P.C. today and let us help you pursue the best possible outcome in your case for the injuries you sustained while working.
Prior Blog Entry:
Avoiding Semi-Truck Blind Spots, Chicago Personal Injury Lawyer Blog, published December 7, 2015.