Workers’ Compensation Benefits In Florida Should Cover Neck Injuries

Every worker from an office employee to a warehouse worker is at risk for suffering injuries on the job. Some injuries like neck injuries do not discriminate. They can affect any worker—young or old, male or female—no matter what type of job position. In fact, neck injuries can be caused from overuse or a specific traumatic event. In either event, workers who suffer neck injuries on the job should receive workers’ compensation benefits.

Types of Neck Injuries Workers Suffer from on the Job:

• Soft tissue damage. When a neck injury occurs, it can affect the tendons, ligaments and muscles in the neck.

• Muscle strain. When this type of injury happens, it affects the muscles that move the spine causing reduced flexibility, muscle spasms and pain.

• Neck sprain. When a fall or overstretching of the joint or stress to the joint happens, ligament damage can occur and cause a neck sprain.

• Whiplash. If a worker is driving on the job and gets into a car accident, he or she may suffer from whiplash which can cause a neck sprain, joint damage, or disc damage.

• Herniated disc injury. When trauma occurs, the discs between the vertebrae get pushed into the nerve root causing tingling, numbness, and weakness.

• Cervical dislocation. When the neck bone is inured and moves out of place, it can separate from the bone and damage the spinal cord—requiring surgery.

• Neck fracture. When a fall or impact occurs, a worker might break his or her cervical bone which would typically require surgery.

• Spinal cord injury. When trauma occurs to the spinal cord, especially to the third cervical vertebrae or higher, the injury can be fatal or cause a life-long disability such as paralysis.

Neck injuries can include pinched nerves, joint injuries, soft tissue trauma and spinal cord injuries, among other injuries. While any type of neck injury that occurs at work is serious, an injury to the spinal cord can result in serious trauma, paralysis or even death.

If you have suffered any type of neck injury at work, you need to seek medical care and report your injury to your employer. Additionally, you should seek legal advice about protecting your workers’ compensation benefits in Florida. Unfortunately, sometimes workers are often denied their benefits because the workers’ compensation company will dispute the extent of their neck injury.

If your benefits are denied or they are being questioned, you should seek legal counsel. To learn about your rights, contact the Law Office of David Benenfeld to speak with an experienced Broward County workers’ compensation attorney in a free consultation. Simply call 954-677-0155 today.