Head injuries are some of the most serious and unpredictable injuries. Even a mild brain injury can interfere with your ability to do your job and grow your career.
If you’ve suffered a head injury on the job, an experienced Wilmington, North Carolina workers’ compensation attorney has the legal skill to help you obtain the benefits to which you are entitled. Contact us at Horton & Mendez to start your head injury claim.
Types of Work-Related Brain Injuries
Brain injuries can take many different forms, including the following:
- Concussions and other traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), which range in severity but are always serious. They typically stem from an impact to the head or body that causes the brain to be bounced against the skull
- Penetrating brain injuries, which are caused when something penetrates the skull.
Most brain injuries are classified within these two basic categories, but additional examples include:
- Contusions
- Coup-contrecoup injuries, which refer to bruising at the impact site and on the opposite side of the brain
- Skull fractures
- Anoxic brain injuries, which are caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain
- Diffuse axonal injuries, which refer to torn nerve tissue that affects communication
- Recurrent TBIs (TBIs that occur while a previous TBI is healing)
Injuries that lead to bleeding of the brain are the most serious of all. Regardless of the kind of head injury you’ve sustained on the job, obtaining the workers’ comp head injury settlement to which you are entitled is the best path toward reaching your fullest recovery.
How Brain Injuries Occur in the Workplace
While head injuries are common in a range of work environments, they are particularly common in construction work and manufacturing.
A brain injury can be sustained on the job in nearly any manner. For example, the most common workplace accident is slipping and falling.
Other common examples include:
- Falling objects, which are especially common on construction sites
- Falls from heights, such as from scaffolding or ladders
- Vehicle accidents that occur on the road or on the work site
Symptoms of a Brain Injury
Brain injuries are wildly unpredictable and can be asymptomatic early on. Some of the symptoms that are most closely associated with concussions and TBIs include:
- Physical symptoms, such as headache, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, speech difficulties, or dizziness
- Sensory symptoms, such as increased sensitivity to sound or light, blurred vision, a ringing sensation in the ears, or changes in your sense of smell
- Cognitive or behavioral symptoms, such as a brief or extended loss of consciousness, challenges related to concentration, mood swings, the feeling of being dazed or confused, the onset of anxiety or depression, or sleep disturbances
If you have any reason to believe you may have suffered a head injury at work, seek the immediate medical help you need.
What Makes a Brain Injury Qualify for Workers’ Comp?
Workers’ compensation is designed to compensate employees who’ve been injured on the job for their necessary medical expenses and lost earnings up to a specific percentage.
Even a mild brain injury can require extensive medical treatment and can leave you off the job for an extended amount of time. A more severe brain injury can interfere with your ability to do your job at all.
In other words, brain injuries typically qualify for workers’ compensation. It can be more challenging to prove the extent of your brain injury losses, however, than it is to prove for other kinds of injuries because brain injuries are so difficult to predict, pinpoint, and define.
Treatment for Brain Injuries on the Job
There is a wide range of treatments for brain injuries depending on the severity of the injury. Treatments generally fall into the following categories:
- Imaging tests that help determine the nature of the head injury
- Intracranial pressure monitors monitor for further damage related to increased pressure
- Monitors for sufficient oxygen, steady blood pressure, and adequate blood supply
- Medications that include anti-seizure drugs, coma-inducing drugs, and diuretics
- Surgery to remove clotted blood, stop bleeding, or repair skull fractures
- Extensive rehabilitation
How to Start a Head Injury Claim for Workers’ Comp
If you have suffered a head injury on the job, the steps you should take toward protecting your health and starting your claim include the following:
- Seek immediate medical attention.
- Inform your supervisor that you were injured on the job, which will instigate the filing of your claim.
- Reach out to a seasoned workers’ comp attorney to ensure that your rights are protected throughout the claims process.
How Much Is a Head Injury Worth?
The goal for any workers’ comp head injury settlement is to capture the full extent of your covered losses. The coverage includes your complete medical expenses, which can extend into the future, as well as your lost earnings, which can include your lost earning potential.
Your workers’ compensation attorney will help ensure that your complete losses are carefully accounted for.
Contact An Experienced North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Attorney
The workers’ compensation attorneys at Horton & Mendez serve Wilmington, Leland, and other areas of North Carolina. We recognize how extensive the losses related to head injuries are and are well-positioned to advocate for a fair workers’ comp head injury settlement for you. Learn more by contacting or calling us at 910-405-7751 today.
