After-Effects of Traumatic Brain Injuries in the Workplace
Suffering a brain injury in any context and as a result of any type of traumatic incident can be life-altering. Even when a traumatic brain injury (TBI) is classified as “mild,” which is the term for a concussion, the aftermath can still involve a difficult and complex recovery period. More serious TBIs can require significant time away from work, and in some cases, a full recovery is not possible. According to a recent article in Brain & Life Magazine, TBIs can have a particularly difficult relationship to the injury victim’s ability to return to work. What should you know about work-related brain injuries, complications, and the ability to seek compensation or disability? Our Maryland work injury lawyers can provide you with more information, and we are here to speak with you today about the details of your case.
Understanding Head Injuries in the Workplace
What types of workplaces see the highest rates of TBIs among employees? According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), work-related head trauma and traumatic brain injuries are much more likely in certain types of jobs than in others. The CDC cites the following professions as those in which the risk of a TBI is highest:
- Construction work;
- Professional driving, including truck and freight drivers;
- Emergency responder work;
- Professional athletics;
- Warehousing work;
- Mining work;
- Machinist work;
- Agricultural work; and
- Logging.
How TBIs Can Limit Working Abilities
After sustaining a TBI, employees can experience long-term complications that will depend on the severity of the injury and the specific type of injury, but that can make attention and concentration difficult, can limit driving, and can make it difficult or impossible to work from heights or to operate heavy machinery or heavy equipment.
As the recent article in Brain & Life Magazine reports, citing a new peer-reviewed study published in the journal Neurology, many workers who suffer brain injuries continue to experience debilitating conditions for up to five years after the initial injury. That number includes workers with more serious brain injuries, as well as those with “mild” TBIs or concussions. In addition to the complications cited above, issues of fatigue, headaches, and mood problems can plague employees for extended periods of time, even when it appears that they have nearly recovered physically from the initial injury.
Contact a Maryland Workers’ Compensation Attorney for Help with Your Traumatic Brain Injury Claim
Did you sustain a traumatic brain injury in the workplace that has resulted in a significant disability and continuing medical issues? Brain trauma can be extremely complicated, and effective treatments are not always straightforward. In the aftermath of work-related TBI, you should have the medical care you need, as well as wage replacement benefits to ensure that you can remain financially stable at this difficult time. To learn more about your eligibility for workers’ compensation and disability benefits in relation to a brain injury at work, you should seek advice from one of the experienced Maryland workers’ compensation lawyers at the Law Offices of Steinhardt, Siskind and Lieberman, LLC. Contact our firm today to learn more about how we can help you to obtain the compensation and benefits you need.