Injuries

What is the difference between specific injuries and cumulative injuries? 

There are many ways an employee can become injured at work. The California Labor Code 3208.1 states that “an injury may be either: (a) ‘specific,’ occurring as the result of one incident or exposure which causes disability or need for medical treatment; or (b) ‘cumulative,’ occurring as repetitive mentally or physically traumatic activities extending over some time, the combined effect of which causes any disability or need for medical treatment.”

The Stockton workers’ compensation attorneys often see injured employees with specific injuries to certain body parts. These injuries often occur at an ideal time and place due to some action at work. For example, if an employee fell off some scaffolding, breaking their arm at a construction site, or a warehouse worker was struck in the head by a falling object. The injuries happened due to circumstances at the employee’s job. 

We also see many work-related injuries due to cumulative trauma or repetitive injuries. These injuries most often occur slowly over some time when an employee repeatedly does an activity that puts continued stress on a body part. As this type of injury happens gradually over time, it can be tricky to determine the injury’s date. An example of a cumulative injury would be a professional mover who suffers from a rotator cuff injury due to repetitive strain on their shoulder from picking up heavy boxes every day would have a work-related cumulative injury. Constant exposure to harmful chemicals or toxins that eventually cause the employee to suffer from respiratory issues is also considered a cumulative injury. Since these types of injuries happen progressively over time, it is often difficult to determine when the injury occurred.      

What are familiar workers’ compensation injuries? 

Typically, workers’ compensation covers injuries to any body part that occurred while you were working your job. The most common type of injury that our Stockton workers’ compensation attorneys see is orthopedic injuries. We also see work-related injuries from chemical exposures and occupational illnesses such as hearing loss due to work injuries. Sadly, our Stockton workers’ compensation attorneys also have extensive experience handling wrongful death claims due to a work accident. 

Orthopedic Injuries 

Orthopedic injuries are the most common type of workers’ compensation injury. An orthopedic injury is an injury to the musculoskeletal system of the body. These injuries are often the result of trauma to the body and usually relate to the bones and joints. Depending on the circumstances, orthopedic injuries can be caused by a specific accident or cumulative trauma. If you believe that your injury is work-related, a Stockton workers’ compensation attorney can help. Common orthopedic injuries include the following: 

• Back Injury
• Head Injury 
• Carpal Tunnel  
• Elbow Injury
• Foot / Ankle Injury
• Hand Injury 
• Head Injury
• Knee Injury
• Neck Injury
• Shoulder Injury

Occupational Injuries

Occupational injuries are typically associated with a health issue developed due to your employment. Occupational injuries are generally due to repetitive exposure or trauma. Since it takes significant time to develop a disease, it is often hard to attribute that disease to your job. So, proving that your illness is related to your work can be difficult. The Stockton workers’ compensation attorneys can help determine if your injury is due to your employment. Common occupational injuries include: 

• Hearing Loss
• Lung cancer
• Skin dermatitis
• Allergies 
• Tetanus 
• Rabies 
• Tuberculosis 
• HIV 
• Hepatitis B and C viruses

Chemical Exposure

Depending on your industry, there may be many toxic chemicals present at your workplace. Common poisonous substances include asbestos, arsenic, ammonia, benzene, chloroform, formaldehyde, hydrogen peroxide, iodine, lead, mercury, uranium, and zinc. Besides this list, there may be many other toxic chemicals that could be found at your workplace as well. These chemicals can cause severe illness and even death to those exposed. You still have the right to workers’ compensation even if your employer took precautions to protect you from chemical exposure. Please contact a Stockton workers’ compensation attorney today if you’ve been exposed to toxic chemicals. 

Wrongful Death

Sometimes a workplace accident tragically ends the life of a dedicated employee. These situations are extremely difficult for families as they are morning the life of their loved one and having to deal with the financial repercussions that the loss brings. No amount of money will get back your loved one, but the payout can help your family stay afloat during this trying time. At a minimum, the deceased worker’s family will receive workers’ compensation death benefits. The family could also file a wrongful death lawsuit or a severe, willful misconduct claim if the employer violated an OSHA regulation. Often work-related death claims can be complicated. To best protect your family’s rights, we recommend contacting a Stockton workers’ compensation attorney to help you through the process. 

The experienced attorneys at Stockton Workers’ Compensation Attorneys, P.C. have helped thousands of clients through workers’ compensation claims for various injuries. Our attorneys can help you obtain the benefits you deserve so you can focus on recovering from your injuries and getting back to work. If you are suffering from a work-related injury or a loved one has died due to a work-related injury, please get in touch with a workers’ compensation lawyer in Stockton today.