No matter what type of job you hold or what kinds of places you perform that job in, there is always at least some risk that an unexpected accident could lead to you suffering a work-related injury or contracting a work-related illness. Even by those standards, though, working inside a hospital or other major healthcare facility can be uniquely dangerous—not just in terms of your overall risk of accidental injury or illness, but also in terms of the types of hazards you may be exposed to on the job.
Because of that, hospital workplace injuries in Summerlin can sometimes be difficult to build strong workers’ compensation claims around. Fortunately, you have support available to you from the experienced workers’ comp lawyers at Shook & Stone, where we have decades of combined experience helping workers like you.
Common Injuries Suffered by Hospital Staff Members
According to data collected by the Occupational Health and Safety Administration, “soft-tissue injuries” like muscle strains and ligament sprains are by far the most common type of injury suffered by hospital workers in Summerlin, Rhodes Ranch, Sovana, and Sun City. They occur more often in this type of workplace than all other kinds of injuries combined. Chronic overexertion injuries like joint pain are also well-represented statistically, as are bone fractures from accidents like slips and falls and puncture wounds from needles or syringes.
Of course, hospital workers are also at uniquely high risk of being exposed to communicable diseases, ranging from common colds to life-threatening viruses. Regardless of what form it takes, any injury or illness that affects a hospital worker as a direct result of conditions they were exposed to at work could qualify them for workers’ compensation benefits provided by their employer or, in some cases, through a licensed contractor for whom they performed contract work.
What Benefits Could Workers’ Comp Provide?
The most immediate and direct benefit that workers’ comp is supposed to provide Summerlin hospital employees who suffer workplace injuries or illnesses is full reimbursement for the costs of all reasonably necessary medical care needed to help them reach maximum medical improvement. Depending on the nature and severity of your injury, you may be able to get reimbursed not just for emergency and rehabilitative care, but also for things like:
- Prescription medications
- Assistive equipment
- Transportation to and from doctors’ appointments
If your injury or illness leaves you unable to work for a significant period of time, you may be eligible to receive temporary disability benefits until you are able to return to work. These benefits are usually equivalent to about two-thirds of your average weekly take-home pay prior to getting hurt or sick. Finally, if you are rendered permanently disabled to any degree by a work-related injury or illness, you can have your temporary disability benefits extended into permanent partial or permanent total disability benefits, depending on what kind of work—if any—you are able to do after reaching maximum medical improvement.
Get Help With a Hospital Workplace Injury Claim from a Summerlin Attorney
When your job involves managing the health of dozens of patients at once, many of whom may be in unstable or even critical condition, it is understandable if your own personal health ends up somewhat neglected. However, if you end up getting hurt or sick on the job inside a hospital, it may be important to both your short- and long-term financial stability for you to take full advantage of your employer’s workers’ compensation coverage.
Assistance from seasoned legal representation can make it much easier to take proactive action over hospital workplace injuries in Summerlin. Call Shook & Stone today for a free consultation.
