If your back was injured during a workplace accident, Goings Law Firm, LLC can help you pursue a workers’ compensation claim to recover money to pay for your injury and related expenses. In a fact sheet entitled “Back Injuries – The Nations #1 Workplace Safety Problem,” The United States Department of Labor said that Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data showed over 1 million workers suffer back injuries each year, and back injuries accounted for one in every five workplace injuries or illnesses. The BLS reported 154,180 cases involving injuries to the back in 2016.
Because your back is connected to your shoulders, hips, and neck, an injury can affect the function of your entire body. People who suffer a back injury on the job can often face a difficult recovery period before they are able to return to work. A delay in your workers’ compensation claim can make paying for your medical expenses difficult if not impossible. An experienced attorney can ensure that you get the full amount of compensation you deserve in the most efficient, speedy manner possible.
Goings Law Firm, LLC helps clients all over the greater Columbia area with workers’ compensation claims. Our firm understands the complications that arise in back injury cases and can help you navigate the claims process so you can get the compensation you need and deserve. Call (803) 350-9230 or fill out an online contact form to have our attorneys review your case and discuss all of your legal options during a free consultation.
Do I Need A Back Injury Lawyer?
Applying for workers’ compensation can be incredibly challenging for many people, and small errors can lead to lengthy delays or outright rejections of claims. Back injuries in particular may require you to supply various medical records and submit to medical evaluations which may underestimate the severity of your injuries. Certain deadlines also make it important for people to act quickly to preserve their rights to workers’ compensation, and individuals tend to overlook certain requirements when filing.
You can reduce your level of stress by retaining legal counsel in these matters. An attorney will understand the unique factors that apply to your back injury and how to prove the extent of your injury to the satisfaction of the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission. A workers’ compensation lawyer will greatly improve your chances of having your claim approved so you can obtain the compensation you are entitled to.
Why Choose Goings Law Firm, LLC To Handle My Case?
Robert F. Goings won the University of South Carolina’s most prestigious award, the Compleat Lawyer, and has also been named an Emerging Legal Leader by South Carolina Lawyers Weekly Magazine. We have won millions for our clients over the years, including $350,000 for a workers’ compensation back injury case.
Goings Law Firm, LLC puts its clients first, so you can know that you will always get answers to all of your questions when you work with us. Our firm understands South Carolina’s workers’ compensation laws and fights to protect the rights of our clients. We know that back injuries can often be extremely complex, and many people do not get the compensation that they truly need. Goings Law Firm, LLC will help make sure you get every last dollar that is available to you.
A back injury typically involves a number of medical bills and other expenses that put families in tight financial situations, but you should not let concerns about money prevent you from contacting Goings Law Firm, LLC. We do not charge you anything for legal representation until you get a monetary award.
Types of Back Injury Cases We Handle
Back injuries can vary depending on the type of harm involved. Some people may suffer fractures, strains, or sprains, while others have herniated, slipped, or ruptured discs. Some people may suffer spinal cord injuries that result in possible paralysis. Some of the most frequent causes of back injuries in the workplace include, but are not limited to:
- Slip and Fall Accidents
- Heavy Lifting Accidents
- Falls
- Motor Vehicle Accidents
- Repetitive Motion Injuries
- Improper Training
- Assault
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) states in its technical manual that back disorders can develop gradually through repetitive activity over time or may be the result of a single traumatic event. Some back injuries can involve a combination of these circumstances.
Most back injury victims experience severe pain but may also have stiffness and difficulty standing. Some victims may have bruises, swelling, or spasms, and other can experience shortness of breath or difficulty breathing.
Many people who suffer back injuries will be prescribed medications that can include anti-inflammatories, over-the-counter pain relievers, muscle relaxants, or opioids. Injections can be utilized in some instances. Some victims will need physical therapy and others may require additional surgeries.
A workers’ compensation claim should provide you full compensation for all of these treatments, as well as any ongoing treatment or rehabilitation you may need in the future, and all lost wages from missing work during recovery. If your back injury creates a permanent disability, you should be able to recover compensation for your lost earning potential and expenses related to adjusting to a new lifestyle. Proving these future costs can be difficult, which is why you need Goings Law Firm, LLC to ensure you receive the full amount of money you need.
Back Injury Statistics
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, 191,450 injuries involving time away from work in 2015 involved the back. That total translated to a rate of 17.3 per 10,000 full-time workers.
Half of all working Americans admit to having back pain symptoms each year, according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). The ACA also reported that Americans spend at least $50 billion annually on back pain.
According to the ACA, back pain accounts for over 264 million lost work days in one year, or two work days for every full-time worker in the country. The ACA also reported that years lived with a disability caused by low back pain worldwide increased 54 percent between 1990 and 2015.
Not-for-profit healthcare network Cone Health reported that nearly 80 percent of adults will experience a back injury in their lifetime, and about 10 percent will suffer a re-injury. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) Worker Health Chartbook stated that back disorders account for more than 24 percent of all occupational injuries and illnesses involving days away from work.
Contact Goings Law Firm, LLC Today
When you or a loved one has suffered a back injury on the job, you will want to get help right away. Goings Law Firm, LLC can help you obtain workers’ compensation as soon as possible. If you sustained a back injury in the workplace, do not wait to contact us. You can have our attorneys provide an evaluation of your case when you call (803) 350-9230 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
