Helping You Secure Your Workers’ Compensation Benefits
Most Florida employers are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance. Workers’ comp benefits are designed to help cover the costs of lost wages and medical expenses for work-related injuries. If you have been injured on the job, you need an experienced lawyer who knows how to successfully secure the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve.
More Than 35 Years Helping Injured Workers
At Christopher J. Smith, P.A., the experienced Tampa workers’ comp attorney has decades of experience assisting injured workers with their claims. I can help ensure your claim is filed correctly and you receive the help you need to get back on your feet and back to work. I have extensive experience helping people with workers’ compensation cases in Tampa and surrounding areas.
I provide a straightforward assessment of your workers’ compensation situation, telling you what you need to hear, not what you want to hear. Benefits to injured workers have eroded over the last 35 years and the burdens of proof required to establish entitlement to these benefits have become more difficult to establish; As a workers’ compensation attorney, I represent individuals injured in the course and scope of their employment.
Common Work Injuries And Causes
I have worked with a wide variety of injured workers who have suffered workplace accidents or occupational diseases. Throughout my time as a workers’ comp lawyer, I have helped clients with the following injuries:
Slip-And-Fall Accidents
“Slip-and-fall” is a term used when a person slips or trips and is injured because of an unsafe condition or object. There are many dangerous conditions, like torn carpeting, changes in flooring, poor lighting, narrow stairs, or a wet floor, that can cause someone to slip or fall and be injured.
Broken Bones
A fracture is a broken bone. A bone may be completely fractured or partially fractured in any number of ways (crosswise, lengthwise, in multiple pieces).
Back And Neck Injuries
Injuries to the lower back (lumbar spine) and neck (cervical spine) are among the most common work – related injuries. These injuries typically involve damage to the discs that are between the vertebrae in your spine. When a disk is damaged (often referred tocas a bulge, herniation or protrusion), it may impinge upon the nerve roots surrounding the spinal column. Depending upon the severity of the impingement, surgery may be required to address symptoms of pain, tingling, numbness down one or more of your extremities. Only through proper diagnostic testing such as an MRI or CT scan can the extent of the damage be fully understood by the physician.
Heavy-Lifting Injuries
The symptoms following heavy lifting injury will vary depending on the injury sustained. Pain is present in the majority of cases, from discomfort to severe, debilitating pain. Some injuries may be temporary, while other injuries can result in chronic long-term pain.
Burn Injuries
Burns, most commonly caused by fire, can also result from chemicals, electricity and other heat accidents, such as scalding hot water or steam.
Knee Injuries
Your knee joint is made up of bone, cartilage, ligaments and fluid. Muscles and tendons help the knee joint move. When any of these structures is hurt or diseased, you have knee problems. Knee problems can cause pain and difficulty walking.
Eye Injuries
The structure of your face helps protect your eyes from injury. Still, injuries can damage your eye, sometimes severely enough that you could lose your vision. Most eye injuries are preventable. If you play sports or work in certain jobs, you may need protection. The most common type of injury happens when something irritates the outer surface of your eye. Certain jobs such as industrial jobs or hobbies such as carpentry make this type of injury more likely. It’s also more likely if you wear contact lenses.
Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder injuries may result in a strain or tear of the rotator cuff or labrum. This may require physical therapy or potentially surgery to repair the damage to the shoulder. Through proper diagnostic testing and consultation with a qualified orthopedic specialist, our office can assist you in making certain your injury is fully diagnosed and properly treated.
Hand / Wrist Injuries
Injuries to the hand/wrist are often associated with individuals who perform repetitive tasks in their employment, such as those individuals who work as mechanics, assembly line workers, or who engage in repetitive typing. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a frequent diagnosis in hand/wrist injuries. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway of ligaments and bones at the base of your hand. It contains nerves and tendons. Sometimes, thickening from irritated tendons or other swelling narrows the tunnel causes the nerve to be compressed. Symptoms usually start gradually. As they worsen, grasping objects can become difficult, and you may experience pain, tingling or numbness into the hand, wrist, and fingers.
Foot/ Ankle Injuries
Injuries to the foot/ankle may involve a sprain or fracture that impacts the ability to stand, walk, climb, or engage in other physical tasks. Through prompt evaluation and diagnostic testing, an appropriate diagnosis can be formulated, and treatment by a qualified orthopedic surgeon or podiatrist can assist in properly addressing your injuries through physical therapy or surgical intervention.
Call Today To Learn More About Your Workers’ Comp
The conditions listed above are just a few of the wide range of injuries that can happen while you are in the course and scope of your employment. If you have questions regarding your claim or think you may have a claim for workers’ comp benefits, call me at my Tampa office at 813-513-0327 or send me an email to schedule a free consultation.