Head injuries are very serious and should be treated by a doctor as soon as possible. If you were at work and you got a head injury by performing work-related tasks, you should seek workers’ compensation benefits to help pay for your medical bills. Especially when an accident happens at work, you want to ensure you are not the one who is left paying the expensive medical bills. Instead, attorneys understand that it can be complicated when it comes to applying for workers’ compensation benefits and that you may not want to rock the boat with such a request. However, it is not your responsibility to pay these bills when it happens at work.
What commonly causes head injuries at work?
Although the head may seem quite sturdy because of the hard, protective skull that surrounds your brain, the human head is actually delicate and the brain even more so. When it comes to an injury that damages your brain, you could be looking at a lifetime of irreparable damage. Common workplace environments that commonly cause head injuries in their employees are:
- Factory workers
- Construction workers
- Athletes
- Police officers
- Firefighters
That said, you do not have to be in any of these jobs to get a head injury and just because you are not in one of these jobs does not mean someone would question your injury. It is crucial for you to go see a doctor after sustaining a head injury on the job.
Common Symptoms
When you suffer from an injury or are not sure about whether you hit your head while working, a few symptoms may show up hours or days after the accident. Some of these are:
- A headache
- Fatigue
- Vision problems
- Dizziness
- Nausea and vomiting
- Migraines
Accident Responsibility
When it comes to determining who is responsible for the accident, you do not necessarily need to prove that someone else’s negligence caused the accident. Workers’ compensation benefits cover medical bills for those who were responsible for their own accident, though there are some cases where this may not be true. If you were drinking or smoking on the job or you and one of your colleagues were roughhousing, workers’ compensation may not cover your injuries. Be honest with your workers’ compensation attorney and make sure you report your accident to your supervisor as soon as possible.