With the advent of COVID-19, the number of remote employees has skyrocketed. While there are certain advantages (less commute, more family time), spending hours a day at workstations is detrimental to employee health and productivity. Poor ergonomics cause temporary neck and back injuries and may become severe enough to need time away from work to seek medical assistance.
Fortunately, whether remote or working from the office, employees who suffer from ergonomic injuries on the job are covered by the workers’ compensation system in most states. Before getting to the nitty-gritty of workers’ compensation for ergonomic injuries, here’s everything you need to know about ergonomics to help you understand whether you have a case.
What is Ergonomics?
Are you someone who believes that ergonomics has something to do with the design of automobile controls and gauges? That’s right. However, it is much more than that. As technology evolves, it becomes more important to ensure that the tools individuals use for work are intended to meet the needs of the human body —and that’s where ergonomics comes in. Basically, it is the process of creating and organizing places of work, goods, and systems, comfortable for the people who use them.
Statistics
Employees with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) accounted for more than 30 percent of all worker injury and sickness cases resulting in days absent from work in 2020, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (DAFW). MSDs included pinched nerves, herniated discs, meniscus tears, sprains, strains, hernia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other disorders resulting from repetitive motion.
If You’re an Employer Reading this…
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), workers’ compensation claims for musculoskeletal diseases (MSDs) and ergonomics injuries are the most common occupational health hazard in the United States, contributing to about one-third of all workers’ compensation claims. However, if you want to lower the frequency of workers’ compensation claims in your organization, start by ensuring adequate ergonomics management.
The real cost of work-related fatalities and injuries to the state, organizations, and people is far more than the cost of workers’ compensation alone. According to the portion of the body involved, the most expensive lost-time Workers’ Compensation claims include the head or central nervous system ($68,749), the neck ($61,510), and the arm or shoulders ($46,205).
As a result, money spent on improving the ergonomic design of the workstation provides a high rate of return on the initial investment.
How Does Ergonomics Work?
Ergonomics is not a relatively recent discipline, having marked its 50th anniversary in 1999. Yet, it draws on research conducted in a wide range of new, more established scientific fields, such as engineering, physiology, and psychology, to make its innovations. To achieve best practice design, here are a variety of disciplines used by ergonomists:
- Biomechanics: (Muscles, Levers, Forces, Strength)
- Anthropometry: (Body Sizes, Shapes, And Populations)
- Applied Psychology: (Skill, Learning, Errors, Differences)
- Social Psychology: (Groups, Communication, Learning Behaviors)
- Environmental Physics: (Noise, Light, Heat, Cold, Radiation, and Body Sensations)
Workers’ Compensation for Ergonomic Injury in Illinois
The ergonomic injury must occur due to the execution of work-related tasks to classify as a work injury by the Illinois’ Workers’ Compensation Commission. A workers’ compensation claim and benefits may be available to you if you can demonstrate that your injury expanded significantly after performing a particular job or work-related activity. However, note that some employers often attempt to give baseless reasons to avoid paying compensation.
How to Claim Compensation for Ergonomics Injury?
Workers’ compensation is an insurance program funded by employers in Illinois and other states that provides benefits to workers who cannot work due to an injury or sickness sustained on the job—covering the cost of medical treatment and a part of lost income. If you’re suffering from an ergonomics injury, the following are certain important steps that you need to take to ensure that your rights to workers’ compensation payments are protected.
- Notify the employer of your ergonomic injury orally and in writing.
- See a doctor or physiotherapist and carefully describe your injury.
- Discuss your benefits with an experienced attorney.
- Within 30 days, report the injury to your employer in writing.
- Wait for claim approval or denial.
What Could Deny Your Workers’ Compensation Claim?
Did you know that almost 25% of workers’ comp claims face first-round denials every year? Indeed, many genuine claims are denied by workers’ compensation insurers, causing honest and innocent employees to connect with an attorney and negotiate to obtain workers’ compensation. The insurer will likely deny your claim due to any of the following factors:
- Your injury was unwitnessed.
- You refused to sign medical authorizations.
- You didn’t report your injury within 30 days.
- You filed a workers’ compensation claim after being fired or laid off.
How Long Do Workers’ Compensation Benefits Last?
When it comes to the workers’ compensation duration, each condition is its own beast. In simple words, it depends on the circumstances of your case and where you reside. For example, in Illinois, Workers’ compensation therapy might last for decades as long as the patient receives continuous care. The best approach is to connect with a workers’ compensation attorney at the beginning of the process to understand your rights and the timing of the claim.
In Conclusion
COVID is an unusual time for us, and we’ve all had to adapt to the changes; however, remember that your employer and the whole organization are still accountable for keeping you safe while on the clock. Alternatively, if you sustained a work-related injury due to poor ergonomics, you have the right to claim workers’ compensation.
Contact Win Injury Network to File a Claim
With years of experience in the industry, we at Win Injury Network understand how complicated the legal process can be—and having a knowledgeable and experienced workers’ compensation attorney on your side can make all the difference. Don’t make a mistake by taking the law into your hands and connect with our attorneys today. Contact us today for a free case evaluation!