Job-related hand injuries are not only painful but can also have devastating, even life-altering consequences for the victim.
Most jobs require the use of your hands. Whether a hand injury affects your wrist, palm, or fingers, an on-the-job hand injury can make your ability to work impossible. Beyond the workplace, a hand injury can make daily living challenging and cause significant pain.
Thankfully, if you suffer a hand injury while at your job or performing a work-related task, workers’ compensation insurance should pay for any lost wages, medical bills, or other costs related to the injury. If the hand injury resulted from third-party negligence, like a reckless diver or a manufacturer’s defective product, you might be eligible for additional compensation.
If you suffered a hand injury at work, a California workers’ comp law firm will help file your claim and maximize the coverage you receive.
Common Workplace Hand Injuries
Some of the most common examples of workplace hand injuries include:
- Wrist fractures
- Broken fingers
- Finger or wrist sprains and strains
- Torn ligaments
- Lacerations, scrapes, cuts, and bruises that require medical attention
- Burns
- Finger loss
- Hand loss
Common Causes of Hand Injuries at Work
Some of the most common causes of workplace hand injuries include:
Accidents involving welding torches, bandsaws, manufacturing equipment, or heavy machinery
- Vehicle accidents
- Slips and falls
- Defective machine malfunctions
- Scaffold collapses
- Falls from ladders or other high places
- Falling or flying objects
- Being caught in or caught between objects
Repetitive Stress Hand Injuries
Not all hand injuries are the result of some traumatic accident. Some hand injuries at work develop over a period of time. Performing repetitive tasks that are physically stressful to the body, including lifting, typing, screwing, or performing other tasks with your hand daily, can result in painful and debilitating hand injuries. Thankfully, workers’ comp insurance will also cover these injuries as long as you can demonstrate that they resulted from performing your duties in the workplace.
These repetitive stress injuries, also known as repetitive strain injuries, include the following:
- Nerve entrapment, like carpal tunnel syndrome
- Finger or wrist sprains and strains
- Tendonitis
- Dupuytren’s contracture
- Osteoarthritis
- Ganglion cysts
- Raynaud’s phenomenon
- Muscle spasms and writer’s cramps
What is a Hand Injury Workers’ Comp Claim Worth?
When you or someone you love has suffered a job-related hand injury, a seasoned California workers’ compensation attorney will help you obtain the maximum compensation available. Every workplace injury is different, and outcomes will vary. However, depending on the circumstances, parties involved, and severity, you may be able to collect thousands, if not tens of thousands, of dollars.
California workers’ compensation should cover all medical costs and work losses, including the following:
- Current and future medical expenses
- Lost wages through temporary disability payments
- Permanent disability payments
- Life pensions
- Vocational training expenses should you have to switch careers after suffering a hand injury
While a mild case of arthritis or some other mild injury could net a victim several thousand dollars, a more severe hand injury may result in compensation in the tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. In addition, when an outside party causes your hand injury, like a reckless driver, you may be able to collect personal injury damages and more compensation due to your pain or suffering. A savvy workers’ compensation attorney can help you maximize your claim, building the strongest case to help your recovery.
Hire a California Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
While anyone can file their own workers’ compensation claim, your employer and their insurance carrier will likely try to undermine your efforts. They may even deny you the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve.
If you plan to file a workers’ compensation claim related to a hand injury at work or have had your claim denied, seek the support and guidance of a California workers’ comp attorney with experience in such cases. A workers’ comp attorney can assist you in gathering and assembling all the records, documents, and information necessary to proceed with a workers’ compensation claim for a hand injury at work.
The Workplace Hand Injury Attorney from Aoudi Law is here to help. Our experienced team of workers’ comp experts has helped countless California workers, from construction workers to government employees, get the compensation they deserve following a job-related hand injury.
Call or text 714-769-8706 today for a free consultation.