Workers’ Compensation for Lifting Injuries in Nashville
Strong representation from Nashville workers’ comp attorneys for workers who suffer back and other lifting injuries
There are many reasons workers in Nashville injure their backs and other parts of their body due to lifting items at work. These reasons include improper lifting methods, not having the correct equipment to lift heavy items, repetitive lifting, and other causes. Many lifting injuries can be prevented if employers prioritize the health and safety of their workers. At Rocky McElhaney Law Firm, our Nashville workers’ compensation lawyers are skilled at handling lifting injury claims. We’ve helped numerous workers obtain payment of their medical bills and temporary disability benefits. If your injuries are permanent, we’re skilled at obtaining full permanent disability benefits.
How can we help?
- What types of workers are prone to lifting injuries in Nashville?
- How do lifting injuries happen in Nashville?
- What types of injuries can lifting objects at your Nashville job cause?
- What precautions can help prevent lifting injuries at your Nashville job?
- What arguments do employers make to deny lifting injury workers’ compensation claims in Nashville?
- What benefits are paid when Nashville workers suffer lifting injuries?
- Do you have a Nashville lifting injury lawyer near me?
What types of workers are prone to lifting injuries in Nashville?
Nashville workers may injure their backs, shoulders, or other parts of their body while lifting in one of two ways. One specific movement can cause a pulled muscle or a wrenched back. Often lifting injuries are due to wear and tear on the body over time.
Workers who are susceptible to lifting injuries include employees who work in construction, agriculture, manufacturing, healthcare, trucking, and retail. Lifting injuries are common among janitors, landscapers, movers, and warehouse workers.
How do lifting injuries happen in Nashville?
Lifting commonly strains the back, arms, shoulder, and knees. Many injuries are due to repetitive stress such as using a jackhammer all day, moving patients into and out of beds, and loading and unloading inventory.
Lifting injuries often occur when Nashville workers:
- Operate heavy machinery
- Lift and move patients
- Work with forklifts
- Stock and unstock shelves
- Load and unload cargo
- Stand all day
- Mop floors
- Stack boxes
What arguments do employers make to deny lifting injury workers’ compensation claims in Nashville?
Employers and insurance companies will use many of the following arguments to deny your work injury claim. At Rocky McElhaney Law Firm, our Nashville workers’ compensation lawyers are skilled at showing why these claims have no or little merit. When necessary, we work with your doctors or independent doctors to fully verify that your pain is due to a lifting injury that you suffered at work, and that your injuries still prevent you from returning to work.
Common employer arguments for lifting injury claims include:
- Your injuries are due to a pre-existing medical condition – such as that you hurt your back at home or in a prior accident.
- You failed to notify your employer or a supervisor within the mandatory 15-day time period.
- Your injuries have healed well enough for you to return to work.
You do not need to show that a specific lifting incident triggered your injuries. Many lifting injuries occur due to lifting large or heavy objects repeatedly over months or years. Older workers are often more susceptible to lifting injuries as their muscles become less flexible, arthritis sets in, or the spinal discs become more brittle.
When an employer argues that your injuries are due to a pre-existing condition, our Nashville workers’ compensation lawyers are ready to argue that your recent work exacerbated/worsened your prior injuries.
What types of injuries can lifting objects at your Nashville job cause?
Some of the common types of injuries that our Nashville lifting injury lawyers handle include:
- Back injuries
- Herniated discs, bulging discs, and slipped discs
- Pulled muscles
- Spinal cord damage including paralysis
- Nerve damage
- Torn ligaments
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Wrist injuries
- Knee injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Strains and sprains
Most lifting injuries require that the employee stop working and focus on their injuries. Depending on the type and severity of the injuries, workers may require surgeries and hospitalizations. Many workers will need to be treated by orthopedists, neurologists, pain management doctors, and other medical professionals. Many employees will also need long-term treatment by physical therapists, occupational therapists, and chiropractors. Some employees may need to consult with a psychologist. When necessary, workers may also need assistive devices. Many workers need medications to manage the inflammation and the pain.
For many Nashville workers who suffer lifting injuries, their injuries are chronic – which means they last for the rest of the worker’s life. Some of the symptoms of lifting injuries include swelling, stiffness, limited range of motion, pain, difficulty sleeping, and muscle disorders.
Lifting injuries are usually diagnosed by an oral examination, a physical examination, X-rays to determine if there are any breaks, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) tests.
What precautions can help prevent lifting injuries at your Nashville job?
Workers don’t have to prove negligence in order to file a Tennessee workers’ compensation claim. They can even be at fault for their own injuries and file a claim. Still, it’s always better not to be injured. Employers and workers can help reduce the risk of lifting injuries by applying well-known safety protocols. A few safety strategies for avoiding or limiting the severity of lifting injuries include:
- Stand close to the object you’re lifting
- Spread your legs before starting the lift
- Bend at the knees
- Hold the object near your waist
- Lift slowly
- Don’t twist while lifting or bending
Other strategies, depending on the type of object being lifted and the weight of the objects, include:
- Have another employee help you with the lift
- Use the proper equipment such as forklifts, harnesses, hand trucks, and aerial lifts
- Train workers on proper lifting techniques
- Obtain or use containers that have handles
- Lift lighter loads
- Take more work breaks so the muscles and body can rest
- Use lifts and other strategies to reduce the need to bend below the waist
- Work when the temperature is normal. Cold temperatures can cause muscles to stiffen. Hot temperatures can cause fatigue and dehydration.
It can also help to drink lots of water and make sure the lifting takes place in well-lit areas. Using a back brace may help.
What benefits are paid when Nashville workers suffer lifting injuries?
Our Nashville lifting injury lawyers are skilled at showing that you are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits and that you deserve the maximum compensation Tennessee law permits.
We demand compensation for:
- All your medical bills to improve your health and to keep your medical condition stable
- Temporary disability benefits which are generally 2/3 of your average weekly wages while you are taking the time off from work to improve your health
- Permanent disability benefits if your lifting injuries prevent you from working
If a loved one died, the funeral and burial costs will be paid up to preset amounts. The spouse and dependent children can claim survival benefits in the amount of 2/3 of your loved one’s average weekly wages.
We’ll explain how your benefits may be affected if you can return to work – but at less than full strength and less than full pay. You may also be entitled to vocational benefits if you need to be retrained for a less strenuous job.
Do you have a Nashville lifting injury lawyer near me?
Rocky McElhaney Law Firm meets clients at either one of our Nashville offices: one at 545 Mainstream Dr. (Suite 105) and one at 615 Main Street, B21. We do meet clients away from the office if necessary. Our workers’ compensation lawyers also conduct phone and video consultations.
We’ll answer all your questions and fight for all the compensation you deserve.
Injured and ill workers should speak with our respected Nashville hearing and appeals lawyers today
At Rocky McElhaney Law Firm, our Nashville workers’ compensation lawyers have obtained numerous workers’ compensation results worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, including for workers with back, neck, and spinal injuries. We’re skilled at showing the full range of challenges injured workers have just being able to return to work. Many of our strong results involve workers with permanent injuries – employees who can never return to work. To assert your workers’ compensation rights after any type of lifting injury, please call our office or complete our contact form to schedule a free consultation. We meet clients who work in Nashville, Hendersonville, Gallatin, Murfreesboro, and Clarksville.
Visit our Nashville Offices
Rocky McElhaney Law Firm
545 Mainstream Dr., #105
Nashville, TN 37228
Phone: (615) 425-2500
Rocky McElhaney Law Firm
615 Main St., B21,
Nashville, TN 37206
Phone: (615) 393-8585