When it comes to workers compensation and workplace injuries, many workers imagine injuries such as those in the warehousing and storage industry. But workplace hazards aren’t always as obvious as heavy loads and dangerous equipment.
Employees who are required to stand for long period of time to perform their work tasks, such as hostesses and cashiers, are vulnerable to long-term muscle fatigue. Long-term muscle fatigue can impact your ability to work, your quality of life, and can even lead to chronic conditions.
Is long-term muscle fatigue really a workplace injury?
Studies have shown that standing for a long period of time, even with rest breaks in between, can cause muscle fatigue. Muscle fatigue can also be caused by vigorous exercise and it causes problems with different stages of the muscle’s contraction.
That said, yes, long-term muscle fatigue really is a workplace injury. Workers with long-term muscle fatigue are more likely to develop chronic conditions in the legs and lower back.
Can you receive workers compensation benefits for long-term muscle fatigue?
You’re entitled to workers’ compensation benefits if your injury keeps you from working for over three days. You’ll need to contact your employer about your workplace injury, file a claim, and see a medical professional to legally determine that the injury is keeping you from working.
Workers compensation benefits can be invaluable to injured workers who may not otherwise be able to cover medical expenses or lost income due to their injuries.
It’s important to note that not all workers compensation claims are straightforward. Your workers compensation claim for your workplace injury does stand a chance of being denied.
If your workers compensation claim has been denied, you have the opportunity to submit further evidence of your injury and to dispute the decision with the help of a workers compensation attorney.
Do you need a workers compensation attorney for your case?
Workplace injuries happen in every industry. Up to 2.9 million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses were reported by private industry employers in the U.S. in a single year.
If you’ve suffered from a workplace injury or illness, you may be eligible for workers compensation benefits or social security disability benefits. For information on filing workers compensation claims or for legal advice, contact our workers compensation attorneys for a consultation today.
