Crush injuries are common if you work around automated heavy equipment, but they also occur in vehicular accidents if you are driving for your employer to deliver goods, attend a meeting, or run an errand. Any situation in which your body endures substantial pressure can result in a crush injury. On the outside, you may not show signs of one, but your bones can be crushed, and internal bleeding or nerve damage is possible.
Fortunately, employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance to protect employees injured on the job. You could be eligible for a portion of your wages, your medical expenses, and in cases where you cannot return to your old job, disability benefits. A Henderson crush injury lawyer is ready to assist you after a devastating accident. Schedule your free consultation with one of our dedicated workers’ compensation attorneys.
Crush injuries impact several systems of the human body, but catastrophic compression is considered the worst situation, with large muscle masses involved. Injured parties lose body fluids and blood, descend into shock, and experience renal failure.
If the compression is severe enough to break bones, they are usually shattered instead of broken in one place. Repairing them requires expensive surgery using screws, pins, rods, and plates, keeping the injured employee out of work for a while.
Compartment syndrome is also common in crush injuries. This occurs when crushed soft tissue swells, blocking blood flow to a specific compartment of muscles, nerves, or blood vessels. Without oxygenated blood in these areas, tissues die, resulting in permanent injury and amputation.
Under Nevada law, many crush injuries may qualify as catastrophic. Under NRS 616A.077, catastrophic injuries include “the mangling, crushing or amputation of a major portion of an extremity.” This classification could entitle injured employees to enhanced benefits, especially when the injury causes permanent impairment or requires long-term care.
Less severe crush injuries result in:
Open wounds
Severe bruising
Internal bleeding
Damage to internal organs and nerves
An experienced Henderson crush injury attorney promptly submits thorough workers’ compensation applications to prevent benefit delays. Clients pay no fees unless we win.
Workers’ compensation delivers benefits promptly and does not require employees to prove employer fault, unlike a negligence lawsuit. However, filing for these benefits waives the right to sue the employer. If another employee’s negligence caused the injury, a separate lawsuit may be an option.
Although there are limited exceptions, all employers must carry workers’ compensation insurance. The claims process involves notifying the employer of the crush accident, consulting a physician to verify the claim, and sending specific forms to the insurer for approval. The insurer has 30 days to approve or deny a claim, but a crush injury attorney in Henderson can work with all parties to head off any problems. Clients who are more comfortable communicating in Spanish are welcome to contact our attorneys, who are ready to assist.
Employees may hesitate to support workers’ compensation claims, fearing higher insurance premiums. Insurers also scrutinize claims they find questionable, often resulting in denials.
Our attorneys are skilled negotiators and litigators and act to keep communication channels open between the insurer, the state workers’ compensation administrator, and the medical provider. We also appear before special judges at appeals hearings to get clients the benefits they deserve. For competent advocacy after a crush accident, contact a Henderson injury lawyer today.
Crush injuries can be catastrophic, involving long-lasting medical and rehabilitative care. You can lose the ability to perform many tasks, compromising your ability to do your job and support your family. By filing a workers’ compensation claim, you can retain your dignity and financial security. Our attorneys could help.
Filing a claim demands precise information and steps you must take to file the proper forms and documentation. Do not leave it to chance. Let an experienced Henderson crush injury lawyer help. Contact us today for your free consultation.