How Can Workers’ Compensation Address Traumatic Brain Injuries?

 Posted on January 26, 2022 in Workers' Compensation

Workplace accidents can occur for a variety of reasons, and when these accidents result in injuries, a person will usually be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Brain and head injuries can be especially harmful, and those who experience these types of injuries will want to be sure they take the correct steps to receive the proper medical treatment. They will also want to determine how they can receive benefits that address the ways an injury has affected their ability to work in the future.

Benefits for Workplace Brain Injuries

There are a variety of situations where workplace accidents may cause a person to experience a blow to the head that results in a traumatic brain injury (TBI). Fall accidents, including those involving a slip and fall due to a wet floor or a fall from a defective ladder or scaffolding, may cause a person to strike their head on the floor or other objects. Brain injuries may also occur if a person is struck on the head by falling objects at a construction site or in a car accident that occurs while a person is working.

Workers’ compensation will pay for the costs of all medical treatment for a work-related brain injury. This includes any emergency treatment that is necessary, such as transportation in an ambulance, treatment at an emergency room, hospitalization, or surgery. A person may also need ongoing treatment, such as medications, physical or rehabilitative therapy, or psychological treatment to address mood disorders or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and these should be fully covered by workers’ comp.

A TBI may also affect a person’s ability to return to work or maintain employment, and temporary or permanent disability benefits may address these issues. In many cases, a person will be required to rest and recuperate before they are able to return to work. Temporary disability benefits may provide compensation for the income a person would have been able to earn during this time. In some cases, a serious brain injury may lead to long-term or permanent disabilities due to issues such as inability to concentrate, problems with balance and coordination, memory loss, difficulty speaking or understanding spoken or written words, mood disorders such as anxiety or irritability, chronic headaches, or seizures. Permanent partial disability benefits may be available in some cases, and if the effects of a brain injury have made it impossible for a person to work, they may be able to receive permanent total disability benefits.

Contact Our Hollister Workplace Brain Injury Attorneys

If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury in a workplace accident, Cramer + Martinez can help you file a workers’ comp claim, and we will work to ensure that you will be able to receive the full amount of benefits you need and deserve. Contact our Gilroy workers’ compensation lawyers at 408-848-1113 to schedule your free consultation and get the legal help you need.

Sources:

https://www.dir.ca.gov/injuredworkerguidebook/injuredworkerguidebook.pdf

https://medlineplus.gov/traumaticbraininjury.html

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/traumatic-brain-injury/symptoms-causes/syc-20378557