If you have had a work-related injury or illness, you may be able to receive workers’ compensation to help towards the cost of any medical treatment and rehabilitation necessary to help you recover. Sometimes, rehabilitation can be ongoing to ensure symptoms don’t come back or get worse, and to prevent future injuries.
Workers’ Compensation
If an employee gets injured at work, or becomes sick as a result of the job they are doing, workers’ compensation is designed to cover the costs of the employees work-related injury or illness. This can include immediate medical treatment and ongoing rehabilitative care, and if the employee is forced to miss work, workers’ comp can also help to cover any loss of earnings. Some workers’ comp will also provide death benefits in the tragic event of an employee dying while performing their job-related duties.
Submitting a Claim
After you get injured or ill, you will start out by seeing a physician for treatment. This could be a physician your place of employment has determined for work-related injuries and illnesses or one of your choosing. The physician will evaluate your illness or injury and submit the right paperwork for a claim to workers’ compensation. It’s important to go with a physician who understands and performs workers’ compensation medical evaluations and treatments.
If your compensation claim is approved, you will begin to receive workers’ compensation payments. Depending on the severity of your illness or injury, your benefits may include the coverage of medical expenses, loss of earnings if you have been unable to work, and on-going rehabilitation costs for services such as physical therapy.
Rehabilitation
Following an injury or illness, a comprehensive medical assessment will be carried out to assess your physical limitations and capabilities related to your work duties. Tests are carried out, which may include a variety of physical performance analysis measures, such as assessing your range of motion, physical strength, flexibility, stamina, and your ability to lift and carry objects.
Rehabilitation following a work-related injury or illness is paramount to a successful recovery. A high proportion of work-related injuries are musculoskeletal, which are conditions that affect the muscles, bones, ligaments, tendons, or nerves.
Rehabilitation is comprehensive and is based on the worker’s individualized treatment plan. Following a treatment plan allows for a successful recovery and can reduce the risk of further injury or delays in recovery. Rehabilitation treatment plans can incorporate a number of different elements, such as physical therapy, occupational therapy, and other modalities designed to help the employee return to work successfully.
Returning to Work
Physical rehabilitation services are able to determine what the appropriate level of participation in work duties should be and can ensure the activity level is right for your recovery in order to minimize the risk of further injury. It is important to know your limitations and understand what you can and cannot do when back at work. Carrying out duties which are unsuitable can cause a decline in your recovery and put you at risk of further injury.
You may return to work full time or on a reduced schedule, but this will depend largely on the severity of your injury or illness and on the recommendations of your physician. It is important that your employer accommodates your needs and requirements to ensure the transition back into the work place is as comfortable as possible. Safety training and work-related protocols should be updated and provided to ensure the chance of injury is reduced.
Workers’ Compensation and Injury Care Services in Grand Junction, Colorado
At WorkPartners Occupational Health, we specialize in workers’ compensation and injury care services for job-related injuries and illnesses. We treat work-related injuries and illnesses and can help both the injured employee and employer navigate the challenging world of workers’ compensation.
If you would like to find out more about our services or to schedule a consultation, contact us today at (970) 241-5585 or use our secure online appointment request form.
