Spinal Cord Injury Workers’ Compensation

If you have suffered a spinal cord injury related to your job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation under Illinois law. At Malman Law, we can make sure that your employer and its insurance company treat you fairly, and we will fight to win the benefits you deserve.

For most people, suffering a spinal cord injury is a life-changing experience. It is something that you never expect to happen to you, and when it does happen, you are thoroughly unprepared for what comes next.

When you suffer a spinal cord injury (SCI), the medical bills will begin to pile up, and you may miss a significant amount of time from your job. It might even be that you are unable to return to work at all. How are you going to cover your expenses? In most cases, victims of work-related injuries can seek medical and disability benefits through workers’ compensation.

Spinal Cord Injuries That May Entitle You to Workers’ Compensation

While most people think of workers’ compensation as providing benefits for individuals who suffer injuries in traumatic accidents on the job, there are other types of injuries that can entitle injured employees workers’ compensation claims as well. In fact, when it comes to spinal cord injuries, there are four main types of injuries that can give rise to claims for workers’ compensation:

• Injuries from traumatic accidents – Traumatic accidents can lead to several types of spinal cord and other back injuries. Acute trauma from things like slips and falls, vehicle collisions, being struck by equipment or machinery, and lifting heavy objects can lead to serious injuries that require prompt treatment and extensive recovery and rehabilitation.
• Chronic (repetitive stress) injuries – Some back injuries do not occur during one-time events but rather develop gradually over a period of time. If you have a physically-demanding job, or if you spend your days sitting in a truck cab or office, back pain could be the sign of a chronic or repetitive stress injury.
• Spinal cord injuries caused by other ailments – Sprained ankles, hyper-extended knees, and other injuries can put additional stress on your spinal cord. If you suffered an injury somewhere other than your back and then started experiencing back pain at your job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation for a spinal cord injury.
• Disease-related injuries – Muscular dystrophy, Friedreich’s ataxia, and other diseases can affect your spinal cord in different ways, making you more susceptible to work-related injuries. If you suffered disease-related spinal cord injury at work, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation.