Back injuries can occur at work due to a variety of factors, including repetitive motions, heavy lifting, slips and falls, and sudden impacts. These injuries can range from minor strains and sprains to more severe conditions such as herniated discs or spinal cord injuries.
Under Pennsylvania workers’ compensation, an employee who suffers a back injury on the job is entitled to medical treatment and wage replacement benefits. The employee must report the injury to their employer as soon as possible and seek medical attention. The employer or their workers’ compensation insurance carrier will then provide coverage for the cost of medical treatment, including diagnostic tests (such as x-rays, MRIs, and CT scans), medications, physical therapy, and surgery if necessary.
Even if you have a pre-existing injury such as arthritis or degenerative disc disease, you can still receive workers’ compensation. An aggravation of a pre-existing injury or a recurrence of an old work injury may be compensable. In these cases, the facts and medical records are very significant in determining whether you get benefits or not.
In summary, back injuries can occur in the workplace due to various factors, and in Pennsylvania, employees are entitled to medical treatment and wage replacement benefits. However, the employee must report the injury to the employer and the injury should be directly related to the work.
It is important to understand that workers’ compensation is a complicated area of the law. The insurance company has lawyers. Shouldn’t you? Call the Law Offices of James V. Monaghan for a free consultation from an attorney certified by the Pennsylvania Bar Association as a specialist in Workers’ Compensation for Montgomery County.
