Common Injuries That Happen In Workplaces

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It is not uncommon for wear and tear injuries to develop slowly over time. There are some, of course, that will become obvious just over a couple of months, while others will take up to years to really come to fruition. Regardless of how long they take to show up, a variety of careers can cause an injury. Most often these careers are physical ones such as construction workers, machine operators, personal trainers, mechanics, and others. If your job is physically demanding at all, you are at a higher risk of developing a wear and tear injury. If you think you have sustained an injury or that you possibly could in the future at your place of work, continue reading below.

What are the most common wear and tear injuries?

While there are a number of wear and tear injuries that can occur while you are on the job, there are some that tend to occur more often than others. These include:

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome
  • Hearing loss
  • Trigger finger
  • Injuries to the shoulder or rotator cuff
  • Tendonitis
  • Osteoarthritis
  • Fractures
  • Meniscal lesions
  • Degenerative bone disorders

You may also not be aware that wear and tear injuries can have a severe effect on the spinal cord. When there are disc abnormalities and other issues with the spine, it can cause a severe amount of back pain in workers who have become injured. Additionally, when you have to complete repetitive motions in your job, or you have a job that requires extreme stamina, arm or leg strength, it is possible for your bones and muscles to become weaker over time.

Workers’ Comp and Wear and Tear Injuries

Since wear and tear injuries take time to develop, it can often be hard to prove that your occupation caused them. While injuries that occur while you are on the job can be directly linked to a specific accident (things like broken bones or concussions), long term injuries aren’t as black and white. If you want your workers’ comp case to end in your favor, you’re going to need to have the right evidence to support your claim. This evidence is often medical records, employment history records, witness testimonies, and expert opinion reports.

The purpose of this evidence is that you need to be able to make a clear and solid connection between your injury and the job you complete on a daily basis. For example, if you spend all day, every day typing at a desk and you are then diagnosed with carpal tunnel, you have to show that your condition did not exist previous to you being employed at the company.

Seek The Help Of A Workers’ Comp Attorney

If you have a wear and tear injury  and you want to move forward with a workers’ compensation claim, you’re going to need to help of an experienced and passionate lawyer. We can help you at The Monk Law Firm. Serving Atlanta and surrounding areas like Athens, Lawrenceville, Sandy Springs, Roswell and more, we pride ourselves on going above and beyond to get you to the result you desire. Contact us today for more information about how we can help you with your workers’ comp case.

Can You Get Workers’ Comp For PTSD?

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Whether an incident occurs that causes you injuries or you simply acquire wear and tear over time at your place of work, the likelihood of you being able to file a workers’ compensation claim are fairly high. On the other hand, something that affects your mental state may not be cause for such a black and white determination of your legal rights.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, also known as PTSD, has been gaining more and more attention as a condition that debilitates those who it affects. While this condition is often thought to have a profound effect on those who work as members of our military, there seem to be others who are also experiencing the symptoms associated with PTSD. People who work in the United States in very high-stress jobs have recently been diagnosed with this condition more and more. Most often these people have careers like police officer, firefighter, EMTs, and contact workers in areas that are deeply affected by war or poverty. Since there are far more people who are currently at risk of developing PTSD, it’s no wonder that we have been fielding questions about whether or not workers’ compensation claims would be appropriate for this mental consequence of working a job like those we just mentioned.

While it is well-known that trauma is a large part of some occupations, a traumatic event can occur for anyone regardless of the type of job they have. Whether it be workplace harassment, violence, bullying, or discrimination, a person can easily have an experience in their place of work that leads to them going through the aftermath of trauma. In some cases, this aftermath can result in PTSD. PTSD that would not have occurred otherwise if the person has not been employed in that specific workplace.

PTSD Claim Types

Emotional distress caused by a person’s workplace is normally categorized in three ways:

  • PTSD that has resulted from physical injuries that occurred on the job.
  • Emotional injury only, in which there is no physical harm that is linked to the mental trauma.
  • Psychological and physical damage that occurs because of emotional damage.

What Are The Symptoms Of PTSD?

There are many different physical symptoms that come along with PTSD. They are as follows:

  • High Blood Pressure
  • Ulcers
  • Vomiting
  • Chronic headaches and migraines
  • Heart Attack

Additionally, there are many other side effects that come with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. While individuals do have fairly different reactions to trauma, the overall scope of symptoms remains quite the same, with people experiencing different combinations of the following, more common symptoms:

  • Flashbacks
  • Hypomania, also known as periods of increased activity
  • A lack of emotional response
  • Nightmares or intrusive memories
  • Physical manifestations of stress
  • Anxiety
  • Depression
  • Panic Attacks
  • Avoiding socialization and activities
  • Inability to relax
  • Violent reactions to being startled
  • General confusion

Are You Suffering From PTSD Due To Your Job?

If you have been diagnosed with PTSD or you think you may be experiencing the symptoms of this condition, you may want to reach out to a workers’ compensation lawyer sooner rather than later. We would be happy to assist you at The Monk Law Firm. Call us right now for more information!

 

What Questions Should You Ask When Hiring A Lawyer

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One of the most common reasons people need to hire a lawyer is that they have been injured in a car accident. Since there is always the possibility of long-term care being required, as well as damages, it makes sense that an attorney would be needed. On the other hand, this is often the first incident in many people’s lives that require a lawyer and therefore, they aren’t quite sure where to start. If you want to make sure that the first attorney you hire is the right attorney, we can assist you. Continue reading below to uncover the right questions you should ask your potential counsel if you want your case to turn out as positively as possible.

The Right Questions

If you have been injured in a traffic accident, having a lawyer who you can trust is an absolute must. After all, there is a lot on the line here. If the case does not go accordingly, you stand to lose a lot of time and money. Some of the most important questions you should not forget to ask a lawyer before you hire them are as follows:

  • How long have you practiced as a personal injury lawyer?

  • Have you handled a lot of cases like mine in the past?

  • What sorts of cases do you most often handle? Are they traffic injury accidents?

  • Can I see your professional credentials?

  • Approximately how many traffic accident cases have you taken in an average year? How many resulted in settlements? How many went to trial?

How Will This Specific Lawyer Handle Your Case?

If you want the best outcome possible, you need to have complete faith in how a specific attorney will handle your case. This means you need to ask some questions that may make you feel a bit intrusive. However, this is your right. You need to know how a specific lawyer will work with you and how they have handled cases in their past. While a hands-on approach is preferred by some and a more relaxed approach is preferred by others, the right answer can only be decided by you and you alone. If you want to make sure your attorney is going to do exactly what you need from them, you may consider asking the following questions:

  • How will you manage my case? And will you be splitting the workload with another attorney at the firm?

  • Who is going to make court appearances? Who is going to attend negotiations?

  • Who is going to be your day-to-day point of contact?

  • Is your case going to require that there are expert witnesses? If so, who will they be and what is their purpose?

  • How often will they check in and give you a better idea of what is happening in your case?

  • How can you get ahold of your lawyer and how often should you expect to hear back from them?

Case Weaknesses and Strengths

When you hire an attorney, it’s extremely important that you know what the likelihood of a positive outcome is. Your attorney needs to inform you of the possible roadblocks in your case, as well as how likely it is that you will get the desired outcome. While it may not always be easy to hear the truth, knowing upfront is likely going to save you a good amount of money and time. This will also give you a better idea of whether your case is likely to end in a settlement or if you are going to be heading to court. Your lawyer can also let you know if mediation or arbitration are options in your specific case.

You should also ask what the timeline of your case is. Knowing how long you have to manage your finances while you wait to find out if you are going to be receiving compensation for your damages is important. Without asking this, it’s not completely out of the question that you would end up unable to support yourself as the negotiations or trial are going on. While your attorney may not have an exact timeline for you, it certainly cannot hurt to ask.

How Much Is Your Case Going To Cost You?

Lastly, you’re going to know how much their representation is going to cost you in the grand scheme of things. Is your case going to cost you money upfront? Is there a contingency fee or an hourly rate? What about a retainer fee or a total cost if the case does not turn out the way you want it to?

Your Trusted Atlanta Area Attorney

If you have been injured in an accident and you want to get the best possible outcome, approaching the right law firm is key. Monk Law Firm services clients in Atlanta and in surrounding areas like Lawrenceville, Roswell, Athens, and Sandy Springs. For more information about of legal services, call us today or stop by our office to schedule an appointment.