Some jobs and workplaces have a higher risk of head injury for workers, like construction, manufacturing, warehousing, and transportation. A head injury can occur at any workplace, though.
If you injured your head while working in Florence, South Carolina, you could be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits for your medical bills and lost income. If a non-employer third party was at fault for the accident, you could recover additional compensation through a personal injury claim.
Jebaily Law Firm has over 100 years of combined experience helping injured Florence workers pursue the full benefits they’re entitled to under South Carolina workers’ compensation and personal injury law. We are ready to put our experience to work for you.
Contact our offices now for a free consultation with one of our Florence workplace head injury lawyers. We have the tenacity and determination to help you pursue the maximum benefits you deserve.
Common Types of Head Injuries on Florence Jobsites
Some of the most common forms of head injuries Florence workers suffer include:
- Contusions – Contusions are bruising that occurs when small blood vessels break underneath the skin. If blood pools, a dangerous buildup can harm the brain.
- Concussions – A concussion happens when the head or body is hit with enough force to cause the brain to collide with the skull’s interior, causing swelling, bleeding, and bruising.
- Diffuse axonal injuries – If the head is violently shaken or twisted, the nerve fibers in the brain (axons) tear and impede the brain’s ability to conduct electrical impulses.
- Skull fractures – A blow to the head hard enough to crack or break the skull can cause bone shards to damage the brain tissue.
- Intracranial hematomas – A hematoma is a collection of blood within the brain that could clot, blocking the supply of oxygen to some parts of the brain.
- Hypoxic and anoxic injuries – Oxygen deprivation or insufficient oxygen to the brain can cause lasting tissue and cognitive damage.
Common Causes of Head Injuries at Work in Florence
A head injury in the workplace may happen due to a variety of factors, including examples such as:
- Slips, trips, and falls – Head injuries often result from accidental falls in the workplace. Slip-and-fall and trip-and-fall accidents can happen for many reasons, such as slippery surfaces, defective flooring, or clutter on the ground.
- Traffic accidents – Crashes frequently cause job-related head injuries. Workers can suffer head injuries while driving cars, trucks, forklifts, or other vehicles on the job.
- Falls from heights – Falling from an elevated surface is extremely dangerous. Stairways, scaffolds, floor openings, ladders, and other hazards pose a fall risk for workers.
- Falling or flying objects – Tools, supplies, and other objects that fall from above or fly sideways can hit workers in the head and cause head injuries.
- Heavy machinery accidents – Defective or misused machinery in the workplace can cause injuries to workers’ heads.
Signs You Might Have Suffered a Head Injury at Work
You’ll likely notice if you hit your head or if something strikes you in the head, but you may not realize there’s damage to your brain tissue without a medical exam. Symptoms of a work-related head injury vary according to the part of the brain or head that’s damaged and the severity of the injury.
Less severe head injury symptoms include:
- A bump on the head or a cut or bruise
- Blurry vision or difficulty focusing
- Dizziness or feeling lightheaded
- Confusion or brief loss of consciousness
- Nausea
- Ringing in the ears
- Trouble concentrating or with memory
- Problems sleeping
- Trouble with balance or coordination
More severe head injuries share many of the same symptoms as mild to moderate head injuries, but the severity of a symptom may be worse. If you exhibit any of these symptoms of a serious head injury, though, you should seek medical attention immediately:
- Loss of consciousness, especially for more than a few seconds
- Persistent headaches, or headaches that get worse over time
- Penetrating wound to the head
- Only one pupil dilated
- Seizures or convulsions
- Clear fluid draining from the nose or ears
- Persistent nausea
- Weakness only on one side of the body
- Trouble walking
Types of Workers’ Comp Benefits in South Carolina After a Head Injury
South Carolina requires all employers with more than four regular employees to carry workers’ compensation insurance (with a few exceptions).
If you suffer an on-the-job head injury, you should be eligible for three types of workers’ compensation benefits:
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- Medical expenses – All present and future medical expenses related to your workplace head injury are covered, such as:
- Ambulance transport and emergency room treatment
- Scans and lab work, like an MRI or head CT scan
- Medications
- Durable medical equipment
- Specialist physician visit
- Surgery
- Wage-loss benefits – You may receive wage-replacement benefits if your injury is severe enough to miss at least seven work days. Your doctor must give you or your employer a signed note stating how long your work restriction lasts.
- Death benefits – Some severe head injuries could prove fatal. If your family member suffered a fatal head injury due to a workplace accident, you may receive death benefits that replace some of your loved one’s wages and a portion of funeral and burial expenses.
- Medical expenses – All present and future medical expenses related to your workplace head injury are covered, such as:
How Our Lawyers Can Help with Your Head Injury Workers’ Comp Claim
Our attorneys may be able to help with the following aspects of a workers’ compensation claim:
- Helping you secure appropriate medical care
- Timely filing all forms and related paperwork
- Gathering evidence to support your claim
- Consulting with experts in the medical and vocational fields
- Following up with the claim filing
- Appealing a denied or undervalued claim
- Presenting the strongest case possible in hearings and appeals
- Pursuing all other options available to you, including a third-party claim or SSD benefits
- Carefully managing all benefits and awards to maximize the amount you receive
Contact Our Head Injury at Work Lawyers in Florence Today
Our Florence workplace head injury lawyers stand ready to fight for the maximum compensation you deserve. Contact Jebaily Law Firm today to discuss the details of your head injury case in a free initial case review.
