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You may not realize it, but your shoulders are vital to your body. You can raise, lower, swivel, and turn your arms because of them, allowing you to carry out day to day tasks and job duties that involve lifting, pushing, carrying, and pulling. Essentially, most things you do with your arms require your shoulders to be in healthy condition.
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that workers suffered more than 63,000 shoulder injuries in recent years, the third most common body part to hinder you other than your knees and hands. Most shoulder injuries worsen over time, and when you need time off to heal, you may wonder how you will make ends meet or pay for the medical treatment you need. When you can prove that your work caused your injury, you can collect workers’ compensation benefits to help get your life back on track after an on-the-job accident or injury. To access your benefits, contact a Florida workplace shoulder injury lawyer from the Law Firm of Kevin A. Moore for dedicated guidance.
Your shoulders move in all directions because of the coordinated efforts of three bones and the tendons and ligaments that link them. The collarbone, humerus, and shoulder blades let you reach out and break a fall if you trip or hoist a heavy box over your head.
Like all body parts, shoulders wear out or are injured by repetitive motions, blows, and falls. Tears to the labrum and rotator cuffs are the most common shoulder injuries. These tears are common in professions that require heavy lifting, lifting above your head, or overuse. Painters and carpenters who use their shoulders for repetitive movements are also at risk. Other shoulder injuries that can be work-related include:
Florida workers’ compensation does cover shoulder injuries, including those that occur over time. The most challenging task associated with filing for benefits is proving your shoulder condition is work-related. Your physician plays an integral part in the process. Your medical assessment must explain what type of shoulder injury you have and how your job duties caused or aggravated it. You can enlist the help of Tampa workplace shoulder injury attorney Kevin Moore who understands what the claims administrator needs to approve your benefits.
Because shoulder injuries are often treatable with pain medication, physical therapy, cortisone shots, and sometimes surgery, you may qualify to receive temporary disability benefits.
If your injury is serious enough that your doctor forbids you to do any kind of work, you will receive temporary total disability (TTD) benefits. If you can perform another job that does not exacerbate your injuries or work a lighter schedule, you may qualify for temporary partial disability (TPD) payments. Your employer must offer you a lesser position or light duty that pays no more than 80 percent of your former salary to qualify for TPD.
Florida law caps temporary total disability payments at 104 weeks or when the injured employee is at maximum medical improvement, whichever occurs first. Employees receive 66.67 percent of their average wages prior to the injury. Some injured employees who suffer catastrophic injuries that lead to loss of limbs, blindness, or paralysis can receive 80 percent of their pre-injury wages until their permanent total disability payments begin.
Our trusted Tampa attorney, Kevin Moore, can explain what benefits you may qualify for and help you apply for them after you sustain a shoulder injury in the workplace.
With a few exceptions, Florida employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance, which pays employees’ medical expenses and a portion of their wages if they are injured or become ill from job-related causes. Although it is much easier to prove the work-injury connection if it results from an accident or specific event, injuries that accrue over time also qualify you for compensation.
If your shoulder pain is getting worse, report it to your employer, see your doctor, and call a Florida workplace shoulder injury lawyer. Our experienced team can file your workers’ compensation claim and ensure the proper proof accompanies it. Call today to discuss your circumstances directly with Attorney Moore, who will personally guide you through every step of the process.
