Spinal Cord Injuries on the Job- What Steps to Take

No matter how a spinal cord injury occurs, its impact can be long lasting and life changing. The expenses involved in treating a spinal cord injury can quickly climb to mind-numbing levels, and the pain and disability that follows can leave you unable to continue working. If you or someone you love has suffered a spinal cord injury on the job, then you are likely to be entitled to both compensation for any wages that you lose, and for compensation for your medical expenses. There are specific steps that you need to take in order to preserve your ability to file for workers’ compensation, and it is important that you follow these steps exactly. The attorneys at the Lancaster workers’ compensation law firm of Vanasse Law are compassionate, experienced workers’ compensation attorneys who can provide you with the legal guidance you need to make sure that your rights are protected.

Spinal cord injuries vary in severity but are generally defined as any damage to the bundle of nerves that is located within the spinal column. These nerves make up the message center between the brain and the rest of the body, sending messages telling limbs and fingers to move and relaying sensations like heat, cold, softness, and sharpness back from the fingers and surface of the skin. At their most severe, spinal cord injuries can leave those who have suffered them completely paralyzed from the neck down. Even a slight disturbance within the spinal cord can leave a person unable to control their bladder, unable to regulate their body temperature, unable to function sexually, and more.

Spinal cord injuries that occur on the job are often a result of a fall or some kind of trauma or blow to the spine. Many workers suffer spinal cord injuries while operating motor vehicles while others are a matter of being crushed by heavy equipment. However your accident occurred, if the injury took place on the job then you are likely entitled to workers’ compensation, a no-fault insurance that your Pennsylvania employer is required to carry and which provides injured workers with the ability to receive compensation without needing to file a personal injury lawsuit against their employer, or to assign blame for what has happened to them.

In the state of Pennsylvania, workers who are injured are required to notify their employer about their injury within 21 days. Following this your employer will send a report to their insurance company, as well as to the Workers’ Compensation Bureau, and 21 days after giving notice to the employer they are required to either respond with a denial of liability or begin providing compensation. With an injury as serious as a spinal cord injury, there is likely to be an extended period when you are unable to work. For more information on the options available to you, contact Vanasse Law today. One of our knowledgeable attorneys will explain the process and let you know what you can expect from the workers’ compensation process.