What Every Employee Should Know about TBIs in the Workplace

While you might not think about it until it happens to you, employees in all occupations and across all industries face potential risks for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs). From slipping on a wet floor at the office to being involved in an accident on a construction site, it only takes an instant to suffer a life-changing brain injury. For those who suffer TBIs on the job, seeking to recover their medical bills and other losses through workers’ compensation or a personal injury lawsuit can be crucial to making the fullest possible recovery.

The Most Common Risk Factors for TBIs
While all employees face risks for TBIs, some workers are more at risk than others. For example, a study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine in 2011 found that construction workers suffer more TBIs than employees in any other industry. This is consistent with more recent workplace accident data as well, which shows that one in five work-related fatalities occurs in construction. With falls accounting for 40 percent of all construction-related deaths, many workers are dying as a result of fatal TBIs.

Outside of construction, some of the industries with the highest rate of work-related TBIs include

• Emergency medical services
• Fishing
• Forestry

However, a TBI is a very real risk for workers in less active jobs as well. Slipping in the break room, falling down the stairs, and being injured in a car or truck accident are all potential causes of TBIs.

What to Do if You Have Suffered a Work-Related TBI
If you have suffered a traumatic brain injury at work, you may be able to pursue financial compensation from one or more of a variety of different sources. Depending on what caused your injury and whether it prevents you from returning to work, you may be entitled to recover

• Workers’ compensation benefits through your employer
• Personal injury damages from a negligent contractor, subcontractor, driver, property owner, or other party
• Social Security disability (SSD) benefits from the federal government

Each of these remedies is available under different circumstances, though it is possible in some cases for them to overlap. In any event, one of the most important things you can do is visit your doctor regularly and follow his or her advice. Not only is this important for your health, but it can also be critical for ensuring that you are able to seek maximum compensation for your injury. With TBIs often resulting in exorbitant medical bills, rehabilitation expenses, prescription costs, and loss of income, it can be absolutely essential to protect your legal rights.

Contact Us for Additional Information
Petro Cohen Petro Matarazzo is a New Jersey law firm that provides experienced representation for workers’ compensation, personal injury, and SSD claims involving TBIs. To learn more about how to protect yourself and what we can do to help you secure maximum compensation, please contact us today for a free consultation.