Workers' Compensation For Heavy Lifting

Back injuries can lead to a multitude of injuries from sprains to herniated disks, to torn rotator cuffs. If you are an injured worker who is looking to file a comp claim for a work-related injury getting the right legal advice is crucial.

What Can Lead to Heavy Lifting Injuries?

Any time you lift heavy objects or more weight than you should, you are at risk for a heavy lifting work-related injury. The most common causes behind lifting injuries include:

• Lifting heavy packages: Lifting packages heavier than 30 to 40 pounds on a regular basis can lead to a wide range of bone and soft tissue injuries.
• Restocking inventory: Stocking requires repetitive lifting and twisting and oftentimes involves lifting a large volume of heavier packages.
• Furniture and appliance moving: Appliance furniture transportation requires heavy lifting, awkward movements, and uneven weight distribution.
• Lifting patients: EMTs and medical professionals make experience work injuries when transferring patients to stretcher from bed-to-bed.
• Preparing forklifts: Prepping a load for forklift movement often involves stacking and arranging heavy items.
• Unloading heavy cargo: Loading and unloading of commercial trucks and cargo and delivery vans involves a large amount of heavy lifting as well as repetitive movement.

It does not matter how you suffer your work-related injury. You still may be entitled to file for worker’s compensation benefits to help you cover your medical expenses, costs for rehabilitation and coverage of your lost wages in the event your return to work is delayed.

What Are the Most Common Type of Injuries Related to Heavy Lifting?

Lifting injuries can come in all shapes and forms, from the spine or joint damage to soft tissue injuries. While any workplace lifting injury can result in a workers’ compensation claim, some of the most common lifting injuries that workers face include:

Back strains and sprains

Back strains are injuries to either muscles or tendons and are often caused by twisting. Back sprains occur when a ligament is either stretched too far or torn and are often the result of excessive movement of a joint. Symptoms of back sprains and strains include:

• Pain that increases when you move
• Spasms or cramps in the muscles
• A decreased range of motion
• A decreased function of the muscles

Herniated Disks

A herniated disk is a problem that occurs in the soft, jelly-like tissues that provide cushioning for the vertebrae in the spine. These disks are encased in a rubber-like exterior to keep them in place. When herniation occurs, the disk pushes through this exterior putting pressure on the neighboring nerves. Herniated disks may also be referred to as slipped or ruptured disks. Symptoms often associated with a herniated disk include:

• Pain or burning in the arms or legs when pressure is put on the nerves
• Numbness or tingling sensations down the extremities
• Weakness in the muscles that can lead to stumbling or a loss of coordination

Rotator Cuff Tears

Your rotator cuff is four muscles that function as tendons to help keep your shoulder in the socket. When one or more of the tendons making up the rotator cuff becomes torn, the humerus will not be held as tightly, leading to pain, and difficulty using your arm. A partial tear occurs when one of the tendons is damaged bu not fully torn. When you suffer a complete tear all of the tendons become separated from the bone. When a rotator cuff tears you may experience:

• Pain when awake or when lying on the affected shoulder
• Pain with arm movements or when lifting
• Weakness in your arm
• Difficulty rotating your arm
• A crackling sensation when you move your shoulder in a specific motion

Shoulder Impingement Syndrome

A painful condition involving the shoulder, shoulder impingement syndrome happened then the shoulder gets inflamed or irritated caused by repeated motions performed over your head. It can also occur in combination with a torn rotator cuff. With this system, the swelling and inflammation occur when the tendons making u the rotator cuff become injured. Symptoms that can signal shoulder impingement syndrome include:

• Difficulty when trying to reach behind your back
• Weakness in the shoulder muscles
• Pain that occurs when reaching your arms above your head

Patellar Tendonitis

Also referred to as jumper’s knee, patellar tendonitis is an injury to the tendon that connects your knee cap to your shin. This tendon is what helps you to extend your leg, jump, run, and kick. Though patellar tendonitis is extremely common in athletes, it can occur in anyone. Symptoms you may notice that can be a sign of patellar tendonitis include:

• Pain in the knee cap when using your legs or extending it
• Difficulties walking and running
• Redness and swelling around the area of the injury

Get the Worker’s Compensation You Deserve for Your Lifting Injuries

When you suffer one of the above injuries from heavy lifting in the workplace, you will be faced with the possibility of significant medical expenses as well as time off work.

Workers’ compensation can help you to pay for your Xrays, medical visits, and prescription medication as well as required therapy and surgery if needed to correct the injury. It can also help you to offset the cost of bills that you will still need to pay when you are continuing with your treatment and away from work.

Our workers’ compensation lawyers can help you navigate the court system and negotiate with insurance companies to help you get the compensation you need to cover the costs of your lifting injury

If you have suffered from a work-related work injury, time is of the essence.

‍Contact Terry Katz & Associates today or call (516) 997-0997 for a free consultation with one of our workers’ compensation attorneys regarding your claim and your Workers’ Compensation Benefits.

After 30 years we know how to navigate New Yorkers workers’ compensation system.