When you go to work, you may not give much thought to what will happen if you suffer an injury while you are on the clock. You simply arrive at your place of employment, do your job and head home at the end of the day. However, you may find that these things are no longer simple or even possible in the event that you suffer a head injury while at work. Certain jobs, such as construction-related jobs, carry a higher risk for suffering this type of injury.
Your job requirements may place you at an elevated chance of injury if you work in the construction field. It is in your interests to know how to protect yourself, what you can do if you suffer a head injury at work and the steps you need to take in order to secure appropriate compensation.
Different types of head injuries
Head injuries can range in type and severity, and the specific nature of the injury you are suffering from depends on the location of the impact, your health at the time of the impact and more. Some of the most common types of head injuries include:
- Hemorrhage — This is severe bleeding around the brain or bleeding within the brain tissue itself. Those who have this type of injury may experience nausea, headaches and an increase of pressure in the brain.
- Concussion — Perhaps the most common type of head injury, a concussion can cause lingering complications for weeks or months, including headaches, memory problems, difficulty sleeping and more.
- Skull fracture — This is when the bone surrounding the brain experiences a crack as a result of a severe impact. These injuries are also likely to cause damage to the brain itself.
These are only a few examples of the potentially severe impact that a head injury can have on someone who experienced a fall, blow to the head or some type of accident. The true nature of a head injury is not always apparent until days or weeks later.
Who is to blame?
If you suffered an injury while working on a Washington construction site, you have legal options available to you. It is possible that you have grounds to pursue compensation through your employer’s workers’ compensation benefits, but you may also have a valid reason to seek recompense through a civil claim. An assessment of your case will reveal how you can pursue the full and fair recovery to which you are entitled.