In case an employee is injured in the neck at the workplace, workers compensation may help with some of your lost wages as well as the medical bills. The amount that you get will depend on the severity of your injury, the time you are out of work and the laws that govern workers compensation in your state. In Nevada, workers generally cover the medical care and approximately two thirds of your average weekly earnings should you be unable to work during recovery.
Knowing Workers Compensation.
Workers compensation (commonly known as workers comp) is a form of insurance offered to the majority of employees by their respective employers when they are injured in the workplace. It helps you to pay in order to:
- Medical care for your injury
- A section of your lost wage when you are away.
- Disability benefits when your injury is long term or permanent.
The workers do not need to demonstrate negligence to claim workers comp. You normally manage to claim in the event that the injury sustained occurred in the line of duty.
Workplace Accidents and Neck Injuries.
In many jobs, not only heavy labor, neck injuries are a frequent occurrence. Some common causes include:
- Lifting heavy objects
- Slips, trips, and falls
- Driving to work in car accidents.
- Monotony or bad posture in an office.
- Shock of falling objects and hitting the head or shoulders.
Neck injuries may be mild muscle strains or severe damage of the spinal cord. Since your neck supports your head and shares your spinal cord, any minor injury will cause pain and loss of working days.
The Workers Compensation in Medical Care.
The workers compensation reimburses 100 percent of your neck injury approved medical bills. This includes:
- Specialist treatment and physician appointments.
- Such diagnostic tests as X-rays or MRIs.
- Physical therapy
- Prescription medications
- Surgery (if needed)
- Neck braces and combat medical devices.
These services should not be payable out-of-pocket in case your claim is approved. One should always get medical attention immediately and inform his/her employer about the injury.
Wage Replacement Benefits
Workers comp will pay part of your wages in case your neck injury will not allow you to work. The usual amount of benefit in Nevada is 66 2/3% (Approximately 2/3) of your average weekly wages when away on sick leave.
For example:
- Workers Wage benefits You might get approximately an amount of $600 per week in workers wage benefits, assuming you earn a regular wage of $900 per week.
- The payments are normally made after you miss work of more than five consecutive days or receive less than full wages due to the injury over five days.
- This is provided as long as you are medically incapable of going back to work, but it can be terminated in case your doctor certifies you fit to resume work, even with light duty restrictions.
Temporary and Permanent Disability.
Workers compansation Las Vegas also examines the duration of your neck injury, in regard to its effect on your working capacity:
- Temporary Total Disability (TTD): You are just not able to work temporarily. Until you recover you get two-thirds of your wages.
- Temporary Partial Disability (TPD): You are able to work but not in full capacity. You could receive payments to recompense among the wages difference.
- Permanent Partial Disability (PPD): You can work temporarily with a long-term disability. You can receive a lump sum or periodic payments.
- Permanent Total Disability (PTD): You are not able to come back to work. This normally refers to lifetime benefits or long-term benefits.
The damage to the neck, herniated discs, or problems with the spinal cord may result in the permanent disability payment.
Other Factors which affect payment.
The details that may vary the level of workers compensation on a neck injury include:
- Average weekly wage before the injury.
- The length of the time away working on a doctor prescription.
- The ability to go back to light-duty work or not.
- The long-term consequential damage of your injury were it permanent.
- State maximums with regard to weekly benefits (Nevada has an annual limit)
In case your injury is so serious that you cannot go back to your former job, you can also get vocational rehabilitation to enable you acquire new skills.
The reason why you should see a doctor immediately.
Medical records are important with workers comp claims. In case of neck injury, visit a healthcare provider as quickly as possible even when the pain initially does not seem to be significant. There are other injuries, like herniated discs or whiplash, which could become worse with time.
At Sahara West Urgent Care, we can examine work related injuries, conduct digital X-rays as required and assist in documentation of your condition when filing your workers comp claim. Fast medical services may accelerate your recovery and boost your case.
How to Appeal a Denied Claim or Low Payments.
In some cases, the workers compensation claims are either declined or postponed or even paid in amounts that appear below average. If this happens:
- Discuss with your employer or the insurance adjuster to get to know what.
- Ensure that any necessary paper work and medical reports are done.
- Take into account addressing a workers compensation lawyer in case the issue is not solved.
- Critical neck injuries or long term disability cases can benefit with legal consultation.
Final Thoughts
In the case of a neck injury at work, workers compensation Las Vegas will cover all medical expenses and approximately two-thirds of your lost wages in reality in the state of Nevada. The sums of money pay back on the severity of the injury, the duration of the time you cannot work, and the permanence of the damage.
Visit a doctor immediately in case you have injured your neck at work. We offer urgent care services at Sahara West Urgent Care, where we deliver prompt and efficient assessment and assistance to get you through workers comp properly. It is too important to wait in order to achieve your health and your financial security. To schedule your appointment with the highest standard of care, visit Sahara West Urgent Care on our website, where you can also explore more informative blogs