Meta:
Every work injury lawyer will eventually provide their services to an individual suffering from a heavy lifting work accident. These accidents are one of the top causes of work-related injuries. When manually handling and lifting materials, there is so much that can go wrong. Employers and employees should be aware of the injuries that can be caused by heavy lifting. Likewise, they should know how to navigate the process of filing a heavy lifting work accident claim.
Different Kinds of Injuries Caused by Heavy Lifting
Hand Injuries
Manual tasks, including heavy lifting, will require a good amount of strength and support from the hands. Although, it can be a dangerous job, depending on what you are carrying. Hand injuries can come from heavy lifting when putting a load down. These jobs can lead to bruises, fractured bones, or getting a finger stuck. These are common injuries in workers who often lift and move heavy loads.
Sprains and Strains
Sprains and strains often happen when workers underestimate the weight of a load. This is a common occurrence in warehouses and similar settings. Stretching the muscles more they can handle is easy to heal from, but doing it repeatedly can result in long-term pain, bruising, and inflammation. These bruises and pains are mostly found in the wrists, arms, shoulders, and back.
Back Injuries
When working with heavy loads, it is crucial to know how to properly lift because you can hurt your back when bending down. When lifting, the back is supposed to be straight while the legs do the bending. Also, poor posture, while carrying the load, leads to injury. The most common back injuries due to heavy lifting are slipped discs and problems with the spine.
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Musculoskeletal disorders often develop as a result of repetitive lifting. Poor lifting and material handling include:
- Turning, twisting, bending the neck, back, or torso
- Overstretching the muscles
- Working in cramped environments
These musculoskeletal disorders are often diagnosed in the back and upper and lower limbs. The symptoms of these disorders are prone to worsening over time, even when no longer partaking in poor lifting and handling.
Hernias
Hernias happen when a body part pushes against a weak muscle or tissue wall. This repeated strain on the abdominal muscles usually results in hernias. You will see some employees wearing a belt or brace around their stomach to prevent these hernias. Although, not all employees wear them, making them much more susceptible to developing hernias. Older individuals are naturally more at risk of developing hernias.
Slips and Falls
Slips and falls can be induced by several circumstances. Manual handling does contribute to these kinds of accidents. Just as we mentioned earlier, some employees underestimate the weight of the load. Even worse, some loads are so large that it hinders their line of sight to some extent. Consequently, tripping or falling happens and serious injuries are part of the incident.
Know Your Rights
When working in these settings where heavy lifting is expected of you, there is never any harm in learning where your right stand. The law actually requires most employers in the United States to provide their employees with workers’ compensation insurance. Like this, you have the information you can refer to should you ever witness or experience an accident while on the job.
File A Workers Compensation Claim
Right after an accident and after receiving medical care, consult with a work injury lawyer to get started on a claim. Having a work injury lawyer to guide you is important because, if you have never filed a claim before, you may not know exactly what you need. Even better, a personal injury lawyer can help you maximize your compensation by filling you in on other factors that can strengthen your case.
Follow Guidelines If/When You Return to Work
To prevent further accidents from happening, become familiar with your workplace’s guidelines. Of course, this is something to consider if you can return to work. Some workplace injuries result in permanent damage. In these instances, some employees cannot or are not permitted to return. This is usually to protect them from further harm or from making their existing condition worse.
Consult a Personal Injury Lawyer After a Heavy Lifting Accident
If you have recently experienced a workplace injury, do not wait. J. Martinez, our personal injury lawyer, is ready to take on any case. J. Martinez will work to help you get all the compensation you need to cover damages and expenses. Contact our law office today at (915) 751-0896.
