Neck and Back Injuries

There’s a reason why people refer to someone or something that is difficult as a “pain in the neck.” Neck and back pain is annoying, irritating and bothersome.

Nobody wants to experience pain in this part of the body. Unfortunately, each year, thousands of hardworking Georgians suffer from back and neck injuries caused by their job.

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than 1 million American workers suffer back injuries each year, accounting for 1 in 5 workplace injuries and illnesses.

The only condition that causes more days of lost work is the common cold.

At the law firm of Westmoreland, Patterson, Moseley & Hinson, we commonly talk to nurses, construction workers, movers, janitors, landscapers, truck drivers, warehouse workers, grocery store clerks, delivery drivers, meatpackers and food processing workers who have suffered back and neck injuries on the job. But rest assured that back and neck injuries can happen to anyone. Even office workers can experience lower back pain due to bad posture while sitting at a desk for hours and poor ergonomics.

Regardless of what your job is, the good news is that Georgia has a no-fault program to provide timely financial compensation to injured workers for their medical expenses and lost wages caused by a work-related injury or illness. This compensation is paid by your employer under the system of workers’ compensation.

However, injured workers must meet certain deadlines and submit the right forms in order to receive the compensation they are entitled to. Even still, employers or their insurance companies often reduce or deny a worker’s benefits anyway for technical reasons — or for no reason at all.

This process can be confusing and frustrating, especially if you’re dealing with a neck or back injury and trying to focus on your recovery at the same time.

For over 50 years, our Macon workers’ compensation attorneys have represented hundreds of injured workers throughout the state. For example, we were able to secure $550,000 in compensation for our client who was struck in the rear by a tractor-trailer truck, causing him serious injuries that required surgery to repair a herniated disk at 2 levels in his lower back.

We can help you take the right steps and negotiate on your behalf. We have the experience, knowledge and commitment to see your claim through to the end and secure the best possible outcome. We’ve done it for past clients with similar injuries and we can do it for you.

In addition to reimbursement for your medical bills and travel expenses, workers’ compensation benefits in Georgia should cover a portion of your lost wages from not being able to work. Wage loss benefits are typically paid in the amount of two-thirds of the worker’s average weekly wage, and are categorized as follows:

In cases of severe neck and back injuries that leave a person partially or totally unable to work, they may also be eligible for disability benefits through Social Security. If a person was killed in a fatal work accident, their surviving spouse, children and dependents may be compensated for funeral and burial expenses.

It’s important to note that injured workers may not be compensated for pain and suffering or emotional distress caused by their work-related accident. In addition, workers’ compensation is an “exclusive remedy,” meaning employees generally cannot sue their employer for on-the-job injuries unless the employer’s behavior was malicious or grossly negligent. Workers’ compensation is typically the only path allowed to injured workers in Georgia to recover damages.