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Posted By AUTHOR Jordan Goldberg on 04/11/2018

Important Workers’ Compensation Facts For Home Health Caregivers

Important Workers’ Compensation Facts For Home Health Caregivers

Getting sick or frequently falling as you age happens to be commonplace. It is the caregivers who often have to be on the receiving side and end up being grievously hurt while on the job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics puts the figure at 12%, a percentage that’s even higher than the injury of construction workers!

With the population in America aging rapidly, there is a tendency of the old and infirm individuals to remain at home instead of being put into a care facility. This has resulted in an unprecedented number of home health care workers today. The home agencies providing care has seen a huge spurt in growth that’s now over a $74.5 billion industry today.

Sadly, the percentage of people being hurt on the job continues to plague the in-home caregivers with many of them reporting work Injury during the course of their jobs. Yes! The healthcare workers attached to psychiatric wards may face assaults and violence from the patients too.

However, patients like this are usually confined to an institution. So the caregiver has every right to claim workers’ compensation for the damages both physical as well as psychological.

The issues of providing adequate compensation to in-home caregivers have not been considered by most authorities so far. However, that is all set to change now as the demand for health caregivers has been rising up considerably with every passing year. Some of the home caregivers make an abysmally low daily wage while remaining dedicated to their tasks.

Unfortunately, they have to work in unhygienic conditions and are subject to abuses frequently.  The latest report by AFL-CIO has revealed a 50% increase in work-related injuries due to violent behavior of patients since 2005.

However, it is not going to help to silently bear it all without a complaint. A home caregiver along with the nursing and caregiving staff working in a health facility needs to get in touch with a top work injury lawyer ASAP for claiming compensation.

The hazards that most healthcare workers face every day include but are not limited to:

  • Overexertion and stress
  • Physical or verbal abuse
  • Risk from bloodborne pathogens
  • Injuries while handling medical wastes and sharps
  • Developing allergies due to latex sensitivity
  • Having to work in unhygienic conditions for long hours
  • Being subject to extreme temperatures
  • Back and shoulder pains from having to push heavy wheelchairs or gurneys

 

A worker who is injured or suffers disabilities while on their caregiving job can hope to receive adequate workers’ comp by filing it at the opportune moment! While it may not be necessary to hire a lawyer for filing a claim, it is recommended to do so say the experts.

A qualified attorney who has both the skills as well the expertise in handling workers’ comp can assist his client effectively in filing the claim properly without errors. The legal jargon is almost impossible to comprehend for a lay person and trying to file a compensation claim can prove to be a costly affair when it gets rejected outright due to errors in filing.

You may be wondering if there will be additional expenses when contacting a lawyer.  You can always get a free consultation from qualified attorneys and many of them will charge their fees when you receive the amount due to you after the claim has been granted.

Do not wait for long periods before making a claim though! Talk to an experienced work injury lawyer and they will handle it on your behalf while you remain focused on retaining your health after suffering damages.

You are sure to receive the required amount for the following from the insurance carrier of your employer or settle for a lump sum without having to go to court.

Types of Compensation that are taken into account to calculate your claim:

  • For Lost wages
  • For Musculoskeletal injuries
  • Reimbursement of all medical expenses
  • For Regular Exposure To Biohazards
  • For Disabilities both permanent and temporary

 

Health care workers who are eligible to file Workers’ Compensation claim:

  • Nurse / Nursing aid
  • Home Health Worker
  • Medical Assistant
  • Ambulance Driver
  • Physical/Occupational Therapist / Aide
  • Paramedic

 


Goldberg & Wolf is an experienced workers’ compensation law firm that can help you with your case. If you have a workers’ compensation case, you will require a team of seasoned lawyers by your side to claim the fair amount. Contact us at (856) 619-7770 for a free consultation and to get all of your queries regarding your case answered.

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