Jobs that require you to push yourself to your physical limits put you at risk of overexertion injuries, which are common workplace mishaps. You are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits if you cannot do your job because you sustained this type of injury. Your employer’s workers’ compensation insurer may be suspicious of your claim, though.
Our experienced attorneys at Colling Gilbert Wright help injured people like you navigate the workers’ compensation system to get the benefits they have earned. An Orlando overexertion injury lawyer from our firm could assist you in accessing your benefits. We consistently achieve excellent results and take exceptional care of our clients. Most of our cases come from other attorneys who refer their clients to us.
Overexertion Injuries Are Common
Overexertion injuries occur when you strain your muscles by attempting to carry out a task you are not strong enough to complete, or you move your body awkwardly. Some tasks are especially likely to trigger these injuries.
You risk this type of injury when your task involves:
- Lifting, moving, pushing, or pulling heavy objects
- Working with your hands raised above your head
- Twisting or bending your body
- Standing or walking for extended periods
Overexertion injuries tend to be sudden, unlike repetitive motion injuries, whose onset is usually gradual. Overexertion injuries may be more likely to occur when you are fatigued, but they can happen at any time.
You should report these injuries to your supervisors or human resources department as quickly as possible, stop working, and seek medical treatment immediately. Trying to work after sustaining injuries can make them much worse. Because recovery from injuries caused by excessive exertion can be slow, and it can be hard to prove how impaired you are, it would be wise to consult our Orlando attorneys early in the claims process.
Typical Overexertion Injuries
Common overexertion injuries include sprains and strains in back, shoulder, and leg muscles, and bulging or herniated discs in the spinal cord. Stress fractures can result from overexertion.
These injuries can lead to:
- Numbness
- Tingling
- Weakness in the extremities
- Severe pain when standing, sitting, or lying flat
Symptoms can linger for weeks or months, and some of these injuries are permanently disabling.
What Makes Overexertion Injury Claims Difficult?
Overexertion can cause bone fractures, which are easily detectable on X-rays. However, other overexertion injuries affect the soft tissues and can be more difficult to diagnose. Your health care provider will probably rely heavily on your report about the circumstances of your injuries and your description of your symptoms to make a diagnosis.
Your employer’s workers’ compensation insurer may question whether you are exaggerating your symptoms and may seek proof of your injuries. Your health care provider may clear you to return to work before you feel ready.
Our attorneys at The Florida Firm in Orlando could fight to protect your well-being after your overexertion injuries. We could advocate for more expensive diagnostic studies that could identify your soft tissue injuries if the insurer is skeptical about your diagnosis. If you disagree with the health care provider’s decision about your readiness to resume your job duties, we could arrange an independent medical examination to obtain a second opinion.
What if You Dislike or Distrust Your Health Care Provider?
A medical professional selected by the workers’ compensation insurer or your employer will treat you for your work-related injuries. You may be allowed to choose a physician from a short list of employer-approved health care providers, but you cannot see your own doctor.
Dissatisfaction with workers’ compensation health care providers is common. In a worst-case scenario, you may feel that the doctor who is treating you does not take your symptoms seriously and is making recommendations that are against your best interests.
Florida Statutes § 440.13(2) allows you to change physicians once during a workers’ compensation case. Even when you ask to change medical providers, the workers’ compensation insurer will choose a new one for you. You have only one opportunity to get a new doctor to treat your injuries from too much exertion, so you should ask our Orlando attorneys how to use this option strategically.
Call Our Orlando Attorneys About Your Injuries From Excessive Exertion at Work
Workers’ compensation insurers scrutinize overexertion injuries carefully, and you may find it difficult to get your benefits after suffering this type of harm. You could make the claims process easier by hiring an Orlando overexertion injury lawyer from The Florida Firm. We could aggressively pursue the benefits you are entitled to receive.
Call us today to schedule a free consultation.