Why You Need to Act Carefully If You Injure Your Back at Work

24 February 2017
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The law says that if you've been injured at work, you are entitled to receive worker's compensation through the government's insurance program. While this may appear to be quite a clear concept, it's not always that easy to prove that an injury was actually sustained in work. Some injuries in particular are a little more challenging to cover. What do you need to know so that you don't run into trouble when trying to lodge a claim?

Not All Accidents Are the Same

All manner of injuries can happen on the job. This is particularly the case for those who work in blue-collar industries. Some are more difficult to substantiate, such as a back injury.

If you break an arm or leg during an incident at work, this is relatively cut and dry. You're able to see the immediate aftermath of the incident quite clearly and the insurance company's lawyers cannot really argue that. However, it could be that you sustained a serious injury by lifting a weight that was too heavy for you, thereby causing problems with your back.

What You Need to Prove Your Case

As you may know, the back is a very complicated structure and back pain can be very debilitating. The problem is you cannot see it with the naked eye and have to rely on medical experts to substantiate any claim. This is why it's important to act immediately after you sustain such an injury in work. Many people try to put this off, thinking it may get better, or because they are worried about the security of their job if they lodge any claim.

You are less likely to run into any confrontation with the insurance company if you immediately report the incident and see a medical doctor as soon as possible. It's also a good idea to get the name and contact details of other workers that were present at the time and saw the immediate aftermath of the incident.

Following up with the Doctor

Make sure that you keep going back to your family doctor on a regular basis after the initial, post-incident visit. In this way, they're more likely to substantiate your claim that you have been suffering on an ongoing basis since the initial consultation.

Never be tempted to put off a visit to the doctor until some time in the future, as it can then be quite difficult to prove that your back injury occurred in work. The defence may be that it could easily have happened after you left work and in between the time that you eventually saw your doctor.

Clarifying Your Case

If you're not sure how to proceed in a situation like this, have a word with personal injury lawyers as soon as possible.