Typically, workers who have been hurt and injured on the job may suffer from a variety of consequences. Whether it’s physical, emotional, or financial pain, all of these things can affect them for months and even stick with them for the rest of their lives. Not only that, but even after the injury heals, the devastating effects can linger for a long time. This is one of the reasons why injury prevention and implementation of workplace safety training are important in the workplace.
However, if you end up getting injured at work, below are the five specific ways your workplace injury can disrupt your life:
1. It Requires You to Pay Expensive Costs That Can Destroy Savings
Dealing with a workplace injury is a serious matter. In fact, one of the biggest impacts of sustaining a work injury is the financial hardships it brings to you and your family. Generally, medical and hospitalization bills for health conditions arising from your injury can affect savings and drag your family into poverty. Even if you get compensated by your employer through the workers’ compensation benefits, your financial resources still be insufficient, especially if the injury results in permanent disability that requires long-term or lifetime rehabilitation or treatment.
Thus, even if you receive the benefits you’re entitled for under the law, you may still have to utilize your savings to keep up with your physical recovery. But, as a result, you may have to experience long-term financial hardships following the accident that caused your work injury.
2. It Impairs Your Ability to Work and Receive Wages
Depending on the extent and severity of your injury, you may have to take some time off work so you can fully recover. However, it becomes worse in the event your injury has resulted in a permanent disability in which you may no longer be able to return to work.
Whatever your situation is, getting injured in the workplace cam impair your ability to work, receive wages, and provide for you and your family. This can be a very frustrating scenario if you’ve been the breadwinner of the family since then. Hence, when this happens, your family has to make some lifestyle and financial changes just to keep up.
On the other hand, if you’re expecting workers’ compensation cash benefits, then you may consider making a retirement decision based on it. This is especially true if you can no longer go back to work due to the disability caused by your injury. However, just like other financial decisions, it’s best if you to talk to a workers’ compensation lawyer to weigh your options. To have a better understanding of this matter, you can look here for more information.
3. It Affects Your Family Dynamics
Another way a work injury can disrupt your life is that it affects your family dynamics. Generally, most injuries caused by a workplace accident can include fractures, joint dislocations, sprains, and other musculoskeletal disorders. When you’ve sustained one of these injuries, you may not be able to move on your own, thereby needing assistance from your family members.
For example, your spouse may have to provide additional support for you in terms of eating, taking a bath, or even walking. Also, your children may have to start doing additional chores such as carrying heavy groceries, washing dishes, and many more. Instead of spending their time doing their personal stuff, they may be forced to help your spouse in the household chores while you focus on your recovery.
Unfortunately, this change in the family dynamics may cause a lot of stress to everyone in the household. This is especially true if you play a big role in the family but, because of your injury, the family members may be forced to fill that role for the benefit of the family. This situation may potentially lead to family conflict, unhappiness, and dissatisfaction.
4. It Affects the Quality of Your Life
In addition to family issues, a workplace injury can also impact the quality of life. Depending on the seriousness of your injury, you may have to stop doing the things you used to do before the traumatic accident at work happened.
For example, if you’ve suffered a spinal cord injury while working, you may no longer be able to go hiking, play your favorite sport, hang out with family and friends during weekends, and enjoy some of your hobbies for a certain amount of time. When this situation stays for a long time, you may start feeling unhappy and unfulfilled, which may affect your lifestyle as well as your relationships with your loved ones.
5. It Causes Many Mental Issues and Physical Ailments
Since your injury makes you unable to work and do the things you usually do, it may cause a wide variety of mental issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression. For instance, you may feel depressed knowing you can’t do anything in the event your injury caused a disability. Instead of staying positive about your recovery, it may illicit feelings of helplessness, anger, and other negative emotions.
On the other hand, dealing with these mental issues for a prolonged period of time may also lead to the development of many physical ailments such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems, and many more. And when you’re diagnosed with one of these health conditions, getting your normal life back before the accident can become a very complicated process for you and your family.
The Bottom Line
Realistically speaking, a work injury should be taken seriously as it can cause several physical, mental, emotional, and financial problems that may change your life forever. Therefore, it’s a great idea to keep this information in mind so you’ll know what to do and how to navigate this kind of situation properly.
Lastly, don’t hesitate to hire an experienced attorney who can fight for fair compensation by filing a workers’ compensation claim or personal injury lawsuit on your behalf. With them by your side, your rights will be protected throughout the process while you focus on your physical recovery.
