Head Injuries and Worker's Compensation

Hello again, I received a request to talk about head injuries in the world of workers compensation benefits. I am sure you know this but any injury to the head is very severe. Not only can it cause external damage like a bump on your head, but it can also cause internal damage that you may not be aware of. This internal damage can lead to internal bleeding, Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), and may other problems.

Very Serious

Traumatic Brain Injuries are very serious. They can lead to mild concussions to severe brain damage that can lead to death. Many people try to walk off their head injury but an injury to the head should not be ignored due to internal damage. The human eye cannot see what is happening inside the body and therefore cannot conclude that nothing is wrong with their head.

Common Causes

Common causes that lead to head injuries in the workplace are slip and falls, falling from high places, car accidents, falling objects, etc.. Head injuries can happen anytime and anyplace. The job titles that I have seen to have a higher risk of head injuries are: Construction workers, warehouse workers, janitors, vehicle drivers, and even office workers.

The Science

The science behind head injuries is that the skull serves as protection for the brain. It’s a brain helmet. When you get hit in the head, hard, the brain slams itself against the skull which may lead to the swelling or bleeding of the brain. This is what is called a Traumatic Brain Injury.

The Symptoms

To be safe, I recommend that people should know the symptoms of Traumatic Brain Injuries because like I said before, the naked eye cannot see what is happening inside the body. It is up to the person to listen to its body and understand what is happening. The symptoms can be separated into two categories, mild head injury to severe head injuries.

Mild head injury symptoms may include: Headaches, nausea, dizziness, and tiredness.

Severe head injury symptoms may include: Slurred speech, behavior changes, fluid leaking from the nose or ears, dilated pupils on one or both eyes, repeated vomiting or nausea, persistent headaches, or a coma.

Bottom Line:

Paying close attention to your symptoms is very important. I am not a doctor which is why if you think you may have a head injury, you should see one as soon as possible.

Seeking medical attention for your workplace head injury should be the first thing you should do. After, it is recommended to seek the help of a workers’ compensation attorney to get the benefits and help that you deserve.

NOTICE: Making a false or fraudulent Workers Compensation claim is a felony subject to up to 5 years in prison or a fine of up to $50,000 or double the value of the fraud, whichever is greater, or by both imprisonment and fine.