Learn how to file a claim and recover maximum compensation for your work injury
Broken bones are often associated with sports injuries, but workplace accidents are also a common cause of this painful condition. Similar to other types of injuries, you might break a bone during a sudden slip-and-fall accident or in a vehicle collision.
Fortunately, regardless of how a fracture occurs at work, it should be covered under your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance.
Types of fractures and broken bones
Not counting teeth, there are 206 different bones in your body. Any of these bones could potentially be broken during a workplace accident, but certain ones are more vulnerable to harm.
When a fracture occurs, your doctor will likely classify it according to where and how the injury to the bone appears on the imaging scan.
- A simple fracture is one where the bone is barely out of place, and the ends of the broken part still line up.
- A comminuted fracture is an injury where the bone breaks into fragments that don’t line up evenly.
- An open fracture occurs when a piece of the bone protrudes from the skin.
- An avulsion fracture occurs when a piece of the bone breaks off but stays within the body.
- A stress fracture is a common type that is frequently seen with repetitive stress injuries. The constant exertion of force on the bones, or overuse, causes small cracks to develop that require time and rest to heal.
Which type of fracture is the most serious?
An open fracture is considered one of the most serious types of broken bones. The risk of infection increases once the skin is broken, which can lead to complications that affect your recovery.
Is a fractured bone worse than a broken bone?
The terms fracture and break are often used interchangeably, and one isn’t necessarily worse than the other. However, bone fractures can vary in severity, with a simple break being better than one where there are multiple fragments or pieces.
How long does a bone fracture take to heal?
A simple fracture can usually heal within 6 to 8 weeks. More complicated breaks and those that affect major bones, such as your tibia, could take 5 months or more.
What are the typical occupational activities that are known to result in broken bone injuries?
- Physical labor jobs that involve heavy lifting, such as construction work or manual labor in manufacturing.
- Jobs that involve repetitive motions, such as typing or assembly line work, which can lead to stress fractures.
- Jobs that require frequent falls from heights, such as roofing or tree trimming.
- Jobs that involve high-impact physical activity, such as professional athletes or dancers.
- Jobs that require exposure to hazardous machinery, such as agricultural work or factory work.
- Jobs that involve working in hazardous conditions, such as emergency responders or utility workers, who may be exposed to falls, electrical shock, or blunt force trauma.
Common causes of broken bones in the workplace
There are many ways that you could break a bone at work, and even office workers aren’t immune to this type of injury.
- Falls are a common cause of broken bones. You could break your arm, hand or wrist just by trying to give your body more support during a fall.
- Falling merchandise or dropped forklift loads frequently result in broken arm and leg bones.
- Auto accidents are another common way for someone to break their bones. During a vehicle collision, you might injure your ribs, legs, arms or spine. The location of these broken bones often means a lengthy recovery that could leave you unable to work for weeks or months.
- Machinery accidents can be especially severe. For instance, spiral fractures involve a break that extends down the length of a bone, and these tend to happen when a strong rotational force is applied to the affected body part. In some cases, the force can even be fatal.
People who work with industrial and farming equipment should follow the appropriate protocols and exercise extreme caution to avoid this painful type of fracture.
It’s important for employers to implement proper safety protocols and procedures to minimize the risk of heavy machinery accidents, and for workers to be trained and aware of the dangers associated with operating these types of machines.
Symptoms of a broken bone after an accident
Pain and swelling are the most common symptoms that you can experience with both mild and severe fractures. If the break is severe, you might also notice that the broken area looks deformed, and you may not be able to use the limb correctly.
Weakness or an inability to put weight on that part of your body are signs that you need to seek emergency medical care.
How workers’ compensation benefits work
Georgia workers have the right to file a workers’ comp claim to help them recover their losses after an injury. Although there are a few exceptions, the majority of injuries that occur in the workplace are covered under workers’ comp. In fact, in many instances, you may be eligible for benefits that cover your broken bone, even if you believe that you were at fault for your injury.
Types of workers’ comp benefits
Injured workers may be entitled to the following benefits:
- Medical benefits. These cover all necessary medical treatment, including surgeries, emergency room and doctor visits, hospitalizations, rehabilitation, medications and supplies.
- Lost wages. You’re entitled to a portion of your lost wages (typically two-thirds of your average weekly wage) for a period of time that depends on the nature and severity of your injury.
- Death benefits. If you die from an on-the-job injury, certain dependents will be entitled to benefits for funeral expenses and lost wages.
How to file a workers’ comp claim in Georgia
To ensure you remain eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, you should take the following steps:
- Get medical treatment so you have documentation linking your injury to your job.
- Report the injury to your employer, preferably immediately (in Georgia, you must inform your employer within 30 days).
- File a workers’ comp claim.
- Contact an attorney if you need help with a claim or your claim is denied.
Atlanta work injury attorneys share tips and tricks to protect your workers’ comp claim payout.
Ways a workers’ comp attorney can help with your claim
When you get injured at work, you might feel like you have limited time and resources to manage your case. Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for an employer to deny your legitimate claim or offer you a lowball initial settlement offer that doesn’t fully cover your needs and expenses.
A workplace injury attorney can represent you in your workers’ comp claim to make sure your legal rights are protected. They can also negotiate with the insurance company to help you get the best possible settlement.
Maximize your benefits with a skilled Atlanta workers’ compensation attorney
Seeking legal representation after you sustain a broken bone at work is critical for your healing. Since you could be out of work for a significant amount of time, you’ll need workers’ comp benefits to provide compensation for your lost wages and medical care.
If you or a loved one has been affected by a bone fracture at work in Georgia, contact the experienced workers’ compensation attorneys at Gerber & Holder Workers’ Compensation Attorneys. Our attorneys have over 75 years of combined experience helping injured workers across Georgia recover compensation after an injury.
