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Common Types of Work-Related Hand Injuries
Hand injuries are often sustained in the workplace for a number of reasons, whether they developed as the result of immediate trauma following an accident or over time because of repeated motions and stress when performing certain tasks. The hand, like other parts of the body, consists of multiple tendons, muscles, and joints that are often vulnerable to injury, particularly when put under stress.
Some of the most common types of hand injuries can include:
- Cuts and lacerations
- Skin irritation
- Broken bones or fractures from blunt trauma
- Punctures
- Burns
- Amputations
How Hand Injuries in the Workplace Can Occur
There are many potential causes behind hand injuries on the job. While some injuries may result immediately following an accident involving either negligence or faulty equipment, other kinds of hand injuries can take weeks, months, or even years to develop after repeated stress or movements. In many cases, delayed symptoms may not appear until long after the initial accident occurs. Another common cause of hand injuries on the job is vehicular accidents, which can take place when employees drive using a personal or company vehicle to perform a work-related task.
Regardless of the type or extent of the hand injury, you may be able to recover workers’ compensation.
Treating Hand Injuries
Many hand injury victims will only need a certain period of rest and relaxation to make a full recovery, but more severe injuries could require extensive treatment. Many injuries may only need medication and cortisone treatments to heal, but assistance with stabilization and surgery may be needed in some serious cases, resulting in lengthier recovery and rehabilitation periods.
When to File a Workers’ Comp Claim for a Hand Injury
If you sustain a work-related hand injury, you might worry about how your lack of knowledge regarding the filing process might have a negative impact on your claim. However, you don’t need to worry about this with the help of an experienced and knowledgeable attorney who can help you navigate every step of the process. In Illinois, you can file a claim with either your employer or the state.
When seeking compensation for an injury from your employer, you will need to provide a written description of the incident within 45 days of occurring, with the exception of injuries or any symptoms that appear at a later date. Depending on the specifics of the report, the employer can choose to either accept or deny it, but will also need to provide a written description explaining the decision. If the employer accepts the claim, you may be able to file an appeal to the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission (IWCC) to initiate an investigation of the claim along with the employee’s decision to deny it.
You also have the option of expediting the process by filing a claim directly with the IWCC if you fear that your claim will be rejected regardless. However, you will still need to provide a detailed written description of the accident and injury for the IWCC to review.
Dependable Hand Injury Workers’ Comp Attorneys
Regardless of the nature of the injury and accident, you likely have several concerns such as:
- When you can return to work
- How you will be able to support yourself and your family without income while out of work
- The amount of compensation you can recover for your injury through a workers’ comp claim
- When you’ll be able to cover medical expenses
With the help of the expert legal team here at Vasilatos Injury Law, you will be able to successfully file a workers’ comp claim and our attorneys will be able to provide you with reliable representation both in and out of court. Our attorneys understand how important it is for you to be able to restore your life to the way it was prior to the injury, and will work with you to seek the compensation you deserve.
We’ll help assess how the injury has affected your wellbeing, including the ability to return to work along with your financial situation. Following our assessment, we’ll help you reach a favorable settlement that covers all medical expenses and lost wages resulting from time taken off from work to recover.
We have worked with many clients who have sustained hand injury along with many other types of work-related injuries, whether they resulted from faulty equipment, negligence, or even malicious intent. We understand how devastating these injuries can be to a person’s life, which is why we work hard to help restore our clients’ lives to the way they were.
How Workers’ Compensation for Hand Injuries Can Help Financially
If you sustain a hand injury or any other type of injury or illness on the job, you may be able to recover certain types of compensation to ensure you don’t suffer personally and financially as a result of another party’s negligence. Workers’ comp can cover a variety of expenses, including:
- Doctor visits
- Medication
- Rehabilitation
- Surgery
- Hospital stays
- Medical equipment
- Transportation to and from doctors’ appointments
Average Hand Injury Settlement
The amount compensable for a hand injury sustained on the job will depend on the specifics of the case and injury. The following are some of our clients’ success stories that they have experienced with the help of our reputable attorneys.
