Workers’ Compensation Lifting Injuries

If you or a loved one suffered a work-related lifting injury, our team is here to help. With hundreds of 5-star reviews, we’re here to guide you through the process – protecting your rights and keeping you updated every step of the way. This article will discuss common causes of lifting injuries at work, symptoms and injuries, benefits you may qualify for, and more. If you have any questions about the information presented in this article, or are looking to speak with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney, call our office at (803) 888-2200.

Common Causes of Workplace Lifting Injuries

Employees can suffer lifting injuries as a result of:

1. Single Incidents: Single-incident lifting injuries tend to result in an immediate sharp pain or pop, often caused by improper lifting, twisting, or moving heavy objects.
2. Repetitive Trauma: Repetitive lifting injuries tend to be a result of slow, progressive injury over time and typically develop gradually as a result of microtrauma.1

Workplace lifting injuries are often caused by overexertion, improper lifting techniques, improper training, twisting or bending while carrying heavy objects, awkward postures, repetitive trauma, a lack of equipment, a lack of assistance, environmental factors such as wet floors, rushed lifting, and other factors.

No matter what caused the accident or developing injury, a workers’ compensation attorney can help you understand your options under state law. 

Common On-The-Job Lifting Injuries and Symptoms

Common on-the-job lifting injuries include:

• Lower Back Injuries: According to data from the OSHA, 4 out of 5 manual material handing injuries affect the lower back.2 This can include lower back strains, sprains, and disc injuries. 
• Shoulder Injuries: Overexertion injuries commonly cause injuries to upper extremities, primarily shoulder injuries.3
• Knee Injuries: Lifting injuries to the knee can include strains, sprains, contusions, dislocations, fractures, and more.
• Wrist Injuries: Lifting can result in wrist injuries and related work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) commonly caused by repeated trauma.4
• Other Injuries: Lifting injuries can also result in elbow injuries, neck injuries, upper back injuries, and more.

Common lift injury symptoms to look out for:

Depending on the specifics of your injury, you may experience:

• Immediate, sharp pain
• Dull aches that develop over time
• Muscle spasms
• Reduced range of motion
• Swelling or bruising
• Numbness or tingling

While these are some of the common injuries and symptoms resulting from heavy or repetitive lifting at work, every case is unique. To understand if you have a workers’ compensation case or how a lawyer can help your case, reach out to our team today. We’re here and happy to help.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits For Lift Injury Cases

Following a work-related lifting injury, your lawyer will work with you to recover benefits for all related:

• Medical Care: This includes emergency room visits, doctor appointments, physical therapy and other rehabilitation, and more.
• Temporary Total Disability: Paid to employees while they are out of work due to their injuries.
• Temporary Partial Disability: Paid to employees who have returned to work on light duty or reduced hours and are making less per week on average than pre-injury.
• Permanent Partial Disability: To a scheduled member or resulting in partial wage loss.
• Permanent Total Disability: Benefits paid to injured employees who are not expected to ever be able to work in any capacity again, often due to loss of life, the loss of two limbs, greater than 50% loss of the use of the back, or other catastrophic injury.
• Bodily Disfigurement
• Medical Appointment Transportation
• Loss of Life
• And more

To understand what benefits you may qualify for based on the specifics of your case, reach out to our team today by calling our office or submitting an online contact request form.

Third-Party Claims in Workplace Lifting Injuries

In some on-the-job lifting accident cases, you may qualify to file a third-party claim in addition to the workers’ compensation claim if another person or entity is liable for your lifting injury. This may be true if your accident involved defective equipment, negligent contractors, negligent property owners, or another negligent third-party.

With award-winning South Carolina personal injury lawyers and workers’ compensation attorneys, our team is here to help you understand if you have a third-party case. Call our office at (803) 888-2200 for a free case evaluation to learn more.

Reasonable Settlement Offer For Lifting Injuries

You may be wondering how much a workers’ compensation settlement will be for a lifting injury. The amount of compensation you qualify for will depend on multiple factors, such as: 

• The severity of your injury
• What body parts were injured
• How the injury impacts your ability to return to work
• Required medical treatment
• Your impairment rating
• Time missed from work
• Your job description
• Your education
• Your skillset
• How much you were making prior to the accident
• Future medical care needs, and more.

Without understanding the specifics of your accident or injury, it’s impossible to provide an accurate estimate of how much your case may be worth. To learn how much your case may be worth, speak with an experienced attorney today by calling (803) 888-2200 or emailing info@ctlawsc.com.

Speak with an Award-Winning Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today

f you have any questions about a lifting injury at work or would like to see if Cavanaugh & Thickens, LLC is a good fit for your case, reach out to our team today at (803) 888-2200. We are available via phone 24/7 and offer free case evaluations over the phone and in-person directly with an award-winning workers’ compensation attorney.

With offices in Columbia and Mount Pleasant, our lawyers travel to and represent clients throughout the state of South Carolina. We look forward to hearing from you. 

Client Focused. Results Driven.

Disclaimer: This article is presented for informational purposes only and is not legal advice.

Sources – 

• 1 – Occupational Safety and Health Administration – OSHA
• 2 – Occupational Safety and Health Administration – OSHA
• 3 – NSC Injury Facts
• 4 – PMC PubMed

Author: Nicholas J. Skorzewski