Injured workers in Missouri can access compensation benefits to take care of their injuries without having to worry about covering the expenses themselves.
Workers’ comp programs are widespread across the country, but to get these benefits, all the programs rely on one thing: that workers report their injuries to their employers. That usually happens with more severe injuries, but what about minor pains? Should you worry about them?
Minor Pain Can Indicate Something’s Wrong
If after experiencing a work accident you only encounter some minor pain, you may consider yourself lucky. However, even these minor pains can be a sign that the injury is a lot worse.
For instance, did you know that some people don’t feel a broken bone? The most common symptom of a fracture is, of course, high levels of pain, but that’s not the case for everyone. If you only break a small bone, you may even feel no pain or just a bit of discomfort. You may even be able to move that body part with the broken bone, with little to no trouble.
But over time, if that fracture doesn’t receive medical attention, the pain can get much worse, or the bone can heal in an improper position, leading to mobility issues later on.
The fact is, you may not be able to tell if you’re okay or not just by the pain you feel. Sometimes, your body will try to protect you by giving you extra adrenaline, so right after the accident, you can feel perfectly fine. Once the adrenaline wears off, you may begin to feel some pain or aching, and when you do, it’s important to not dismiss it.
What Should You Do?
In these cases, it’s best to stay on the safe side and go see a doctor right after a work accident takes place, even if you’re only feeling minor pain. It’s possible to have broken bones, or soft tissue injuries without even realizing it. With the right tests, you can get a diagnosis.
If you are injured and need medical treatment, you can then report your injury to your employer, and have them file an injury report. This will begin the worker’s compensation process and allow you to seek medical attention at your employer’s expense.
The longer you wait to see a doctor and notify your employer, the harder it may be to get compensated. If your condition gets worse because you waited, the insurance company may push back and refuse to cover all your expenses, since they can argue at least part of them have resulted from your own negligence.
Talk to a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Our legal team has a strong history of helping injured workers get the medical attention and financial compensation that they need. At the Law Office of James M. Hoffmann, we are here for you. We are continuing to do business via email and phone. Please call us today at (314) 361-4300 or fill out our online case evaluation form to request a free consultation.