A brief guide for nurses with joint injuries

When you went to school to get the credentials you needed to work in a medical facility, you were probably thinking about the rewards. However, one of the reasons there is such a high demand for medical workers is that it is a relatively punishing career.

Nursing, for example, has one of the highest rates of back injuries of any job. The combination of long hours on your feet and periodic heavy lifting throughout that time puts strain on your joints. If you sustained an injury in this way and having trouble getting the compensation you deserve, you would not be alone.

Understand the system

An insurer may challenge your workers’ compensation claim for many reasons, but many times, it comes down to the bottom line. An initial denial for so-called borderline cases may be policy for your employer’s insurance company. An appeal or contest of the denial could be enough to let them know you truly need the benefits to get back to living your life. This is true for reputable and not-so-reputable insurance companies alike.

Investigate errors

Of course, there could be no motive behind a workers’ comp denial at all. Sometimes, a denial is the result of a recording error by somebody along the paper trail. Many different parties are involved:

• You
• Your employer
• Witnesses
• Insurance workers
• Medical professionals

As you probably already know from working in the highly bureaucratic medical industry, many miscommunication opportunities exist. A standard internal investigation by the insurance company may not be enough to uncover the root cause of your denial.

Workers’ compensation is a system that should ideally get you the help you need as soon as possible. It is natural to become frustrated if your benefits do not arrive as you expected. However, remember that a methodical process is the best way to approach this type of issue.

Category:

• WORKERS' COMPENSATION