The Hidden Costs of Workplace Injuries Most People Miss
When someone is injured in the workplace, it can be an incredibly overwhelming time. The first things that come to mind are medical treatment, how long will they be out of work, and what financial compensation will they receive?
What most people don’t expect is for the costs of a workplace injury to be incurred months, years later, and for those who don’t protect themselves to be in dire financial situations without recourse. Here are four costs that come with workplace injuries that few ever consider.
They’re Not Just Injuries, They’re Chronic Medical Conditions
The majority of workplace injuries will not simply be healed and forgotten about. For example, an injury from heavy lifting may be a strained back, but for years afterwards, it may require extensive physical therapy. On top of that, repetitive stress injuries can become degenerative conditions from which constant maintenance will be necessary. Yet too often, injured workers settle with medical recommendations that only include immediate concern because they need the money fast and fail to realize that they’ll be required to pay for their own future care down the line.
This also creates a problem when pain management is needed down the line. Prescription medications may not have been factored into compensation. Specific injections or surgery may be needed down the road. These all have costs associated with them and insurance knows it. That’s why they settle so quickly before full claims can be established. This is where knowing the value of a case comes into play from places like Beaumont Personal Injury Lawyers helps injured workers understand the long-term impact of their conditions.
Loss of Earning Potential
That’s right, not even loss of earning ability is enough to paint the picture of how expensive a workplace injury can be. Yes, workers’ comp will cover the inability to perform work for a few weeks, but loss of earning potential over a lifetime is another story. For example, if a construction worker injures his back and can no longer lift heavy materials, he is forced to take a lesser position if he even remains in the same field. An office worker who has a repetitive stress injury in the wrists finds he can no longer type effectively loses work hours as well as opportunities for promotions.
It’s not enough that an adult child cannot work as much as they’d like during their recovery; they also have to consider how their injury will impact their career progression in the future. If someone is in their 30s, that’s potentially decades of lost wages that aren’t factored into early settlements.
The Rehabilitation Process
Rehabilitation through physical and occupational therapy alone can last months. Three days a week with copays mean more out-of-pocket expenses that weren’t anticipated after an immediate impact. There are also transportation costs getting to and from appointments (further lost time at work if they feel they’re too injured to drive), missed work hours that won’t compensate those getting treatments on their lunch breaks, medical devices/equipment they may not have at home and will need, and then home modifications on top of everything.
Some injuries necessitate vocational rehabilitation which is expensive in its own right, it’s like starting over in a new field! This takes time out of work and new resources that aren’t accounted for immediately so it’s easy to see why these costs would go unrealized without proper guidance at the get-go.
The Hidden Family Costs
It’s not just the injured worker who suffers. Spouses must take time off of their own jobs to assist around the house if their partner can no longer lift things, drive, or handle caregiver responsibilities to children. If the injured adult was solely responsible for childcare, now exorbitant child care fees are involved. Injured workers may find they can’t even perform duties around their own homes; they could require lawn care help, groceries bought for them, things most people do.
In addition, there are psychological factors associated with guilt from being injured, disfigured statuses, changing careers, all that entail additional family counseling/therapy, neither of which Workers’ Comp compensates for as mental health doesn’t fall into the physical category many immediately presume.
Why Early Representation Is Key
The hardest thing for an injured worker to do is try to find their own way. No one wants to hire an attorney because they feel bad about what’s happened to them; they want money and they want it now. But insurance companies want to give as little as possible because it’s about bottom lines for them. Getting injured workers on board with cheap offers is their goal and many unprepared workers take these offers only to find years down the line they’re still suffering.
The best outcome is when injured workers understand how this entire process will play out for themselves, what real costs are incurred by their claims. Experienced lawyers know all about life after a workplace injury; injured workers should rely on them to help weigh their options as their lives change forever.
In Summary
It’s bad enough to suffer an injury while trying to make a living but then one has to worry about if compensation will cover it properly. The best way for an injured worker not to stress about compensation inadequately caring for expenses over time, is for them to do their due diligence on the front end so people aren’t left struggling for a lifetime.
Years later, those educated on the costs their injuries will incur are thankful they’ve survived the initial stages because they’ve protected themselves from long-term struggles; those who’ve taken instant settlements are left fighting tooth and nail after sustaining an injury, only prolonging unnecessary hardship over time.
