At some point, back pain becomes a regular part of life for most people. But sometimes, back pain can be so severe that it interferes with your ability to do your job efficiently. At what point does routine back pain cross over into a true disability that requires you to seek medical treatment and qualifies you to collect workers’ compensation payments?
Qualifying for workers’ compensation
If you suffer an injury to your back while on the job that prevents you from carrying out your work duties, you could qualify for workers’ compensation. It doesn’t matter what those work duties are. For example, you can qualify for workers’ compensation if you are unable to sit at a computer just as easily as if you cannot lift packages or operate machinery due to your injury.
Things like repetitive movements and back strain can damage the muscles and nerves in your back, which might take weeks or months to heal. Sometimes, if you push one of your vertebrae out of place, it can result in excruciating pain that can last indefinitely. If the misplaced vertebrae pinch nerves or cut off blood supply, it could even lead to permanent disabilities such as paralysis over time.
What you have to prove
The most important element that your attorney will have to prove before you can receive payments is that you sustained the injury on the job. In other words, the injury has to have been a result of your work environment – not an injury you suffered outside of work hours.
This can sometimes be difficult to prove, especially if the injury was the cumulative result of several years of exertion. This is why it can be essential to have a proper medical examination. A trained physician will be able to examine your injury and determine whether your work conditions were the primary cause of the injury.
Back pain is an unpleasant part of life. But if you are unable to return to work due to your back problems, do not hesitate to seek workers’ compensation benefits to meet your needs while you recover.
