Head injuries are one of the most common types of workplace injuries. Suffering head trauma on the job is always possible in high-risk fields like construction and mining. However, unlike accidents related to falling from scaffolding or being crushed by machinery, a workplace head injury can happen to any type of employee.
Office workers and retail and food service employees are as likely to suffer a head injury on the job as workers in other fields.
Head injuries range in severity, but even seemingly minor accidents can bring profound long-term effects. A Florida head injury attorney can help you recover compensation after a workplace head injury.
Workplace Head Injuries and Compensation
Slip and fall accidents are among the most common causes of workplace head injuries. Workers in any employment sector can trip or slip and hit their heads while on the job. Other common causes of workplace head injuries include machinery accidents, car crashes, and being struck in the head by an object.
When you experience a head injury while working, the cost of the injury should be covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation coverage. For independent contractors and other workers who aren’t classified as employees, recovering compensation tends to be a more complicated process, but a skilled head injury lawyer can help your claim succeed.
Effects of a Traumatic Brain Injury
Head injuries are usually a type of traumatic brain injury (TBI). There are three levels of severity when it comes to traumatic brain injuries: mild, moderate, and severe. A mild TBI, also known as a concussion, results in a full recovery. A workplace concussion can leave you with costly medical bills and lost wages. Moderate and severe TBIs are more likely to bring life-altering consequences. In some cases, the effects may be so severe that an individual may not be able to safely return to work. A severe TBI usually has a life-altering impact on injured workers and their families. Severe TBI can lead to long-term coma or permanent brain damage. Workers who experience a severe TBI usually need to pay for long-term assistive care.
How a Head Injury Attorney Increases Compensation
The case value of a Florida workplace head injury usually depends on the extent of the injury, long-term healing progress, and financial impact. Head injury cases that bring the largest settlement amounts are typically when a worker is left with a severe impact on brain function, cannot return to work, and needs assistive care or ongoing medical procedures.
Regardless of how severe a workplace head injury is, the one factor that makes the most significant difference to your compensation value is the skill of your head injury attorney. It’s your lawyer’s job to maximize the compensation you recover through your workplace head injury claim.
A lawyer will work to build a case proving the long-term impact of the accident. Factors a lawyer will use to help maximize your compensation include:
- Medical bills
- Expected future medical costs
- Cost of assistive devices
- Long-term assistive care costs
- Emotional impact of the injury
- Diminished quality of life
Even when a full recovery is possible, a lawyer can help increase the amount of money you’re eligible to receive through your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance policy.
When workers’ compensation doesn’t cover the injured worker, it’s even more essential to contact a head injury attorney immediately. In this case, your lawyer must investigate the accident to prove liability for the injury. Contacting a lawyer as soon as possible after the workplace accident helps ensure they can preserve the evidence needed to win your case.
Speak with a Florida Head Injury Attorney Today
You shouldn’t have to pay the price for a workplace head injury. Employers have a legal responsibility to compensate workers for injuries on the job. However, the only way to ensure you get the compensation you deserve is to hire a workplace head injury lawyer to handle your claim.
The best way to protect your finances after experiencing a head injury at work is to consult a lawyer as soon as possible. Most head injury lawyers offer free consultations, so you have nothing to lose by speaking with a lawyer and asking how they can increase the amount you stand to gain.
Contact Schrier Law Group today to schedule a free consultation with an experienced Florida head injury attorney.
