What are workplace injuries?
Workplace injuries are accidents or conditions that occur when you’re at work or because of your job. These injuries may include:
- Cuts
- Broken bones
- Sprains and strains
- Amputations
- Repetitive motion disorders
- Infection
- Contamination
- Radiation exposure
You can also suffer hearing or vision loss at work. Workplace injuries can lead to chronic health problems and disability. If you incur an injury or get sick at work, you could be entitled to workers’ compensation.
What is workers’ compensation?
Workers’ compensation is a method that provides insurance coverage for employees who suffer injuries at work or get sick because of their jobs.
Each American state has a Workers’ Compensation Board that oversees claims and payouts. The board also helps resolve disputes if they arise between insurers, employers, and employees. Employers contribute to a fund that pays for the insurance coverage, so all workers are covered.
Your entitlement to workers’ comp doesn’t depend on who is to blame for your accident or illness. If you think your employer is to blame, you should see a lawyer, but blame forms no part of the workers’ comp scheme – that is unless you deliberately hurt someone else or yourself, or you were intoxicated.
Workers’ compensation is all about supporting you financially when you can’t work or have a permanent disability because of your job.
How are workplace injuries treated?
Treatment for workplace injuries is likely to vary depending on the nature of your illness or disability. Dr. Mathew at American Rehabilitation Medicine specializes in chronic pain and musculoskeletal injuries, which might require:
- Physical therapy
- Ultrasound therapy
- Manual massage therapy
- Electrical muscle stimulation
- Joint injections
- Heat treatments
- Ice or cold therapies
- Chiropractic
- Cryotherapy
- Electrical stimulation
- Trigger point therapy
- Peripheral nerve block injections
- Steroid injections
- Medications
Dr. Mathew designs a personalized program to help you recover from your workplace injury. The aim is to get you as fit and well as possible, so you’re ready to go back to work.
What are independent medical examinations?
An independent medical examination (IME) is a service Dr. Mathew provides for employers or insurers when they wish to have an employee assessed by an impartial physician.
In these cases, Dr. Mathew doesn’t have a relationship with the patient; he simply carries out an assessment and reports his findings to the person’s employer or the insurance carrier.
Dr. Mathew is highly experienced in carrying out IMEs as well as being an expert on physical rehabilitation after a workplace injury. If you need help or advice, call American Rehabilitation Medicine today, or book an appointment online.
