Injuries to the head are common work-related injuries in California. They are among the leading causes of death and disabilities in adults. Work-related head injuries could be minor, moderate, or severe. A mild injury could be a little bump on the head, a bruise, or a cut, while a severe injury could include internal bleeding and brain damage.

California employers are required by law to keep the work environments safe and conducive for their employees. In case of a work-related injury, employees should recover compensation for their medical needs and other damages that the injury at work has necessitated. As an employee in Los Angeles, CA, it is essential to know what a head injury is, how it could occur, how you can tell you have incurred a head injury, and what to do to recover compensation under the Workers Compensation scheme. That is why we offer legal help and guidance at The Workers Compensation Lawyer Law Firm.

Work-Related Head Injuries

The head is a sensitive part of the human body. An injury in the head can cause devastating results, even after a minor accident. Head injury is a general term that refers to a wide range of injuries, which affect the skull, scalp, brain, and the underlying blood vessels and tissues in your head. Sometimes injuries to the head are called brain injuries, or traumatic brain injuries, based on the amount of trauma to the head.

Work-related injuries to the head are pretty standard. A fall in your workplace, falling objects, or road accidents could result in a head injury. The results could be mild or severe, depending on the gravity of the impact. Some people survive head injuries but need assistance with their day-to-day activities. Other people lose their lives, leaving their families with no one to cater to their needs.

Here are among the common work-related head injuries you could experience today:

A Concussion

It is a type of head injury that causes you to instantly lose alertness or awareness for some minutes after a traumatic event. A blow to the head can cause a concussion, affecting the normal functioning of your brain. Symptoms of a concussion could last for a few hours, a day, days, or even months. A concussion might require emergency medical treatment. Therefore, ensure you seek immediate medical help after an injury at work.

Skull Fracture

A fracture to the skull occurs when there’s a break in your head. It could be mild or severe, depending on the nature of the accident.

The most common form of skull fracture is a linear skull fracture. It includes a broken skull bone without movement of the fractured bone. If you incur a linear fracture to your skull, you will only need to stay in hospital for a few days under your doctor’s observation, and then you can be discharged to go on with your work.

More severe skull fractures like depressed fractures may require a more in-depth medical intervention, including surgical treatment. It means that you might have to miss work for a few more days or even months to recover fully.

Intracranial Hematoma

Intracranial hematoma or ICH occurs when you have a blood clot around or in your brain from an accident. The type of ICH you have will depend on the location of the blood clots in your brain. For instance, you could be diagnosed with epidural hematoma when you have developed blood clots under your skull but not beneath the dura. That could happen if you develop a tear in the artery just below the head after the accident.

You could have a contusion hematoma if you developed a bruise from your rain. A contusion causes swelling and bleeding inside the brain around where you experience a blow after the accident.

Common Causes of Work-Related Head Injuries

Your head is more susceptible to injuries after an accident. Therefore, any work-related accident is likely to result in head injuries. Minor accidents will leave you with minor injuries that you can quickly ignore. But a more severe accident could cause more severe injuries to your head and other parts of the body. Here are some common causes of work-related head injuries in California today:

Vehicle-Related Accidents

Vehicle accidents are among the leading causes of head injuries across the globe. A vehicle accident at your workplace is likely to cause mild or severe injuries to your head, depending on the degree of impact. You could incur a vehicle-related head injury in your workplace if you are a truck driver or when running company errands using a company vehicle.

For instance, people making deliveries, promotions, or marketing could incur work-related injuries if involved in an accident. When that happens, your employer could be held responsible for ensuring that you receive adequate treatment and compensation for the period you will be out of work to recover from your injuries.

Slip-and-Falls

Slip-and-falls are common work-related accidents. They could happen in any working environment, including factories and offices. California law requires employers to ensure that their employee’s working environments are safe to minimize accidents like these. However, slip-and-falls can happen even in the safest environments. For instance, you could slip on a carpet or object and fall in an otherwise safe office. The impact of the fall determines the degree of injuries. Falling hard on your head or hitting your head on office furniture could result in severe head injuries. Proper diagnosis is necessary to ensure that your head injury is treated on time to enable you to go back to work sooner than later.

An Explosion

An explosion at work could result in devastating injuries to many workers. Several factors could cause work-related explosions. The problem is that an explosion occurs when it is least expected. Therefore, no one is prepared to take cover or protect themselves in any way. Most workplace explosions are fatal, with survivors incurring catastrophic injuries. After an explosion, a blow to your head could leave you with serious head injuries that might take a long time to treat and heal.

Construction Site Accidents

Construction sites are not always safe. Construction managers put adequate measures to ensure that their workers are safe as they carry on with their day-to-day tasks. But accidents occur when they are least expected. Construction workers are the most affected when accidents happen. Head injuries in construction sites could be from falling objects, slip-and-falls, and construction tools and equipment injuries. For instance, faulty equipment could blow up, injuring workers close to it. You can easily slip on an object in a construction site and fall on a hard surface or equipment, thereby injuring your head.

Defective Work Equipment

Work equipment manufacturers have clear guidelines from the law on the safety measures they should take to ensure that their products are safe for the end consumer. However, some equipment does not meet the required standards, and others develop faults from continuous use. For instance, if the equipment is not maintained correctly, it can easily cause an accident in which one worker or more are injured.

If you incur a head injury from defective work equipment, your employer should have systems in place to ensure that you receive treatment and compensation until you can go back to work.

How To Tell You Have a Head Injury

When you are involved in a work-related accident, you may not tell right away that you have incurred a head injury. Except for a concussion, which you can tell right away due to the temporary loss of consciousness or alertness for some minutes, some head injuries might manifest themselves so much later. But it all depends on the impact and the type of injury you have incurred. Here are some signs that could indicate damage to the head:

Signs of a Mild Injury to the Head

A mild injury to your head could manifest as:

  • Swelling or raised area like a bruise or bump
  • A small, shallow cut in your scalp
  • Headaches
  • Sensitivity to light and noise
  • Confusion
  • Irritability
  • Dizziness or lightheadedness
  • Nausea
  • Issues with balance
  • Memory or concentration problems
  • Changes in your sleep pattern
  • Tired eyes
  • Blurred vision
  • Altered taste
  • Tinnitus or ringing in your ears
  • Lethargy or fatigue

Note that you may not experience these signs immediately after the accident. Some could come so much later after the accident, making it difficult to tell what could have caused the symptoms. Additionally, you may experience one or more of those signs at the same time. It is advisable to seek medical help immediately if you experience any sign that could indicate a head injury. Some symptoms progress from mild to severe very fast, leaving you with an even graver problem than you previously had.

Moderate-Severe Signs of a Head Injury

It is possible to ignore the mild signs and even continue working without worry or care. Still, it is crucial to seek immediate medical help if the symptoms are moderate or severe. Some of the signs of  a head injury you shouldn’t ignore are:

  • Losing consciousness
  • Repeated nausea and/or vomiting
  • Severe headaches that won’t go away
  • Temporary loss of memory
  • Slurred speech
  • Sweating
  • Difficulty walking
  • Weakness on one particular part of your body
  • Pale skin
  • Convulsions or seizures
  • A change in your behavior, including irritability
  • Bloody or clear fluid running from your nose or ears
  • A dilated pupil that appears larger
  • A laceration or deep cut in your scalp
  • An open wound in your head
  • A foreign object has penetrated your head
  • Coma
  • Vegetative state
  • Locked-in syndrome

When you experience one or more of these signs following a work-related accident, it is vital to seek immediate medical care for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Head Injuries and Workers’ Compensation

Workers’ compensation is an insurance program that compensates workers after a work-related injury. Compensation from this program is meant to cater to the injured workers' medical needs, and other needs that the work-related injury has necessitated, up until the worker can go back to work or engage in any other gainful employment. Workers’ compensation programs only deal with work-related injuries. Therefore, an investigation into your head injury will be necessary to establish that the injury was indeed work-related, hence deserving compensation.

As with many other states in the United States, in California, employers must carry insurance coverage for their employees. The insurance is meant to cover all work-related injuries, both minor and severe. The amount of compensation you receive depends on the gravity of the workplace accident and the nature of your injuries. Thus, a medical doctor will assess your injuries to determine their nature and the length of time it could take to recover from your injuries fully. The report is then submitted to the insurance provider for compensation.

It is essential to notify your employer immediately if you incur a work-related injury or you learn about the injury. You will also be required to see the doctor your employer has designated under the workers’ compensation program. Some employers only designate a particular healthcare facility, in which you can be seen by any doctor working there. The doctor will assess your injury and write a detailed report, which your employer must see to authorize treatment.

But if you need immediate medical treatment, the procedure could be a little different. Your wellbeing will come first. Therefore, you could be rushed to the nearest emergency room. Then your employer can organize for a transfer to the particular doctor or healthcare facility he/she has designated under the compensation program.

It is essential to work closely with your employer after a work-related injury to ensure that you receive the compensation you deserve for your damages. But if there are issues, you might need the help of an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer. Your lawyer will protect your rights and ensure that you are following the proper procedure to recover compensation. Your lawyer will work on your case while you concentrate on your recovery.

What to Do After a Work-Related Head Injury

If you incur a work-related injury at work, you are probably entitled to receive compensation under the workers’ compensation benefit. Almost all employers in California provide workers’ compensation insurance for their employees. Your employer must have informed you about it after you started working for their company. Only contractual workers are not covered by their employers under this insurance scheme. Thus, if you are eligible for workers compensation benefits, follow the following procedure to file for the compensation you deserve:

Report the Accident

Notify your manager, supervisor, or employer immediately you are involved in a work-related accident, regardless of whether you have been injured in that accident. It could help your employer to put additional measures to avoid similar accidents in the future. It will also protect you in case you start showing symptoms of a head injury several days or weeks later. If you realized the injury days or months after the accident, let your employer know about it right away.

Determine Your Eligibility for Workers Compensation

The law requires all employers in the state to carry insurance coverage for their employees. The problem is that not all employers abide by this rule. Some employers categorize their employees as independent workers to avoid paying for insurance and tax for them. In that case, you may miss the opportunity to recover compensation after a work-related head injury because of your employer’s fault. That is why it is vital to determine your eligibility before you start the application process.

Ensure that Your Injury is Covered Under Workers’ Compensation

You may not receive compensation under the workers’ compensation scheme if your type of head injury is not covered, even when you are eligible for compensation under this insurance scheme. For instance, if your head injury was self-inflicted, or you were injured in the act of committing a crime or violating company policies, you will not receive any compensation. The injury must be related to your duties and responsibilities in your workplace. It also must not have occurred due to negligence on your part.

Consult a Doctor

You need medical care for treatment so that you can go back to work. Workers’ compensation benefits are only paid during the recovery period. They will only cater to your medical needs after the injury and other needs you might have until you can engage in gainful work. Thus, you must seek treatment for your injury to qualify for workers’ compensation.

Besides, only a qualified healthcare worker can assess your injuries to determine the cause, extent, nature, and duration of your treatment. These are details that you will need when applying for workers’ compensation.

Your doctor will provide a detailed report regarding your injuries to help you claim compensation under this insurance scheme.

Hire a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

The process of applying for compensation is not always straightforward for most injured employees. Some employees face difficulties like dealing with a problematic employer and finding out that your employer has listed you as an independent worker when you are a permanent employee. In that case, you will need legal help to smoothen the process and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.

What a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Can Do For You

A severe work-related head injury will leave you with a lot to worry about. You will probably be hospitalized, with no one to follow up with your employer or insurance company as you recover in hospital. It becomes even more devastating if you do not have money to spend on your medical and other needs before you can file your compensation claim. That is why you need an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer by your side. Here are some things your lawyer can do for you during that period:

To  Kickstart the Claim Process With Your Employer

While in the hospital, you may not do much to start the claim process with your employer. That is why you need a legal expert to handle the matter on your behalf so that you can concentrate on your recovery. Your lawyer will ensure that your employer has filed the claim form, filed the claim with the insurance provider, and the insurance company has responded. If there are issues with your claim, for instance, if your employer has not been making payments to your coverage, your lawyer will handle it on your behalf.

Reigniting Your Claim After Denial

Claiming for workers’ compensation is not always easy. So many factors are considered before the insurance provider accepts your claim. Sometimes claims are denied, which could deny you the chance to recover compensation and other benefits you desperately need until you can go back to work. When that happens, an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer could help fight for your rights until your claim is accepted. Your lawyer will always have your best interests at heart. An experienced one will know what to do in any situation to push the claim through for you to recover your compensation.

For Effective Negotiations With the Insurance Provider

Insurance companies will not willingly give you the compensation you deserve, even with compelling evidence. These companies are in the business of making money. Thus, they will take any chance available to deny you compensation or offer a smaller compensation that you deserve. A legal expert can successfully negotiate with an insurance company for the best possible outcome. Alone, the insurance provider might put you under so much pressure to accept less compensation than you truly deserve.

To Analyze Your Damages

A work-related head injury might leave you more confused than you have ever been. Thus, you may not think straight enough to recognize all your damages and include them in your compensation claim. The law provides a guideline on compensable damages an injured worker can claim under the workers’ compensation program. An experienced lawyer will know about it all to guide you into fighting for the compensation you truly deserve.

Some of the damages you could include in your claim are medical expenses, temporary or permanent disability benefits, death benefits, and job displacement benefits.

Find an Experienced Workers Compensation Lawyer Near Me

Have you incurred a work-related head injury in Los Angeles, CA?

If so, you may be eligible for compensation under the workers’ compensation scheme. However, your employer must have carried coverage for you and made prompt payments to it. Filing for compensation under this scheme is not always an easy task. That is why you need the help and guidance of an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer. At The Workers Compensation Lawyer Law Firm, we will fight with you until you obtain the compensation you deserve. Call us at 424-501-9228, and let us first study the details of your case to determine the right course of action.