Tennessee Neck and Back Injuries in the Workplace
Neck and back injuries in the workplace are common in Tennessee. Sometimes the injury can be accidental, resulting from a fall or from a sudden strain. At other times, the injury can be gradually occurring, resulting from repetitive lifting.
While neck and back injuries can happen in any workplace environment, employees who work in the construction and manufacturing industries are at greater risk for sustaining such injuries. Certified nursing assistants (CNAs) and licensed practical nurses (LPNs) are also at an increased risk for sustaining a back or neck injury due to lifting and turning patients.
Common neck and back injuries suffered in which a person can generally receive workers compensation in Tennessee for include:
- Herniated disc (also called ruptured disc and slipped disc)
- Back strain
- Neck injury
- Spine injury
- Lower back injury.
Workers who sustain on-the-job back and neck injuries are entitled to medical benefits and temporary disability. However, when the personal injuries result in permanent partial or permanent total disability, injured workers are entitled to long-term benefits for lost earning capacity.
Permanent neck and back injuries are compensable according to a doctor’s assessment of impairment to the “body as a whole” (BAW) and an assessment of vocational disability. Based upon an assessment of BAW and vocational disability, the workers' compensation statutes provide that benefits are to be calculated up to a maximum of 400 weeks at the worker’s compensation rate. When the worker is permanently and totally disabled from the injury, the worker is entitled to compensation until the age of 65.
The percentage of weeks an injured worker receives is a source of much litigation. Employers and their insurance companies frequently dispute the level of the worker’s vocational disability. However, the employee’s chances of maximizing his or her benefits increase upon retention of an experienced workers’ compensation attorney.
At Baker Associates, our skilled Sevierville workers compensation lawyers can help you get the compensation you deserve. If you have injured your neck or back in a work-related accident, call 866-853-2888 to learn more about what you may be entitled to under the law.
