St. Paul Workers' Compensation Blog

Neck fracture symptoms and diagnosis

On behalf of The Law Office of Gretchen Hall posted in Head on Thursday, October 11, 2018.

A neck fracture is one of the most serious injuries you can face, as it has the potential to result in paralysis and even death. If you have any reason to believe you're dealing with this injury, you need to receive immediate medical care.

You should not attempt to move if you believe you have a neck fracture, as doing so can worsen your injury.

Construction site accident causes: Protect against these

On behalf of The Law Office of Gretchen Hall posted in Construction Worker And Industrial Injuries on Wednesday, September 26, 2018.

If you work in the construction industry, regardless of your profession or daily responsibilities, there are a variety of risks to protect against. If you don't, the chance of being part of an accident is much greater.

Here are several of the most common causes of construction site accidents:

Slip and fall: This can happen to anyone at any time. For example, if the construction site is full of debris, you could catch your foot on something when walking, thus knocking you to the ground.
Falling objects: When people are working at height, the risk of an object falling to the ground below is very real.
Equipment accidents: There are many examples of this, such as using a power tool in a manner not consistent with directions.
Vehicle-related accidents: Construction sites are full of all types of vehicles, any of which can cause a serious accident. For example, a construction vehicle could back over or crush a worker.
Building collapse: It doesn't happen often, but it's always a risk in the construction industry. If a building collapses with workers inside, the chance of injury or death is very high.

A bulging disk can be treated in many ways

On behalf of The Law Office of Gretchen Hall posted in Head on Wednesday, September 12, 2018.

If you begin to experience back pain as the result of your employment, it's important to pinpoint what's gone wrong and how to resolve the pain and discomfort as quickly as possible.

A bulging disk, for example, can knock you off your feet for an extended period of time. Worse yet, if you don't receive the proper treatment, it's an issue that can come back time after time.

16 potential signs that someone is abusing opioids

On behalf of The Law Office of Gretchen Hall on Tuesday, September 4, 2018.

Opioids are powerful painkillers often prescribed after serious injuries and surgeries. If your spouse gets injured at work, for instance, part of the treatment plan could include taking opioids to handle the pain.

These drugs are heavily regulated because, despite how useful they are when used correctly, they are highly addictive. Many people develop substance abuse and addiction issues that could last far longer than the initial injury itself. This addiction can be incredibly harmful and even, in some cases, fatal.

Are you worried about a scaffolding accident? These tips can help

On behalf of The Law Office of Gretchen Hall posted in Construction Worker And Industrial Injuries on Wednesday, August 29, 2018.

If you regularly work on scaffolding, you may have some concerns about being part of an accident. You realize that an accident can cause serious injury or even death, so it's important to do whatever it takes to prevent trouble.

Here are several safety tips that can help prevent trouble when using scaffolding:

Safe setup: Before you ever use scaffolding, you need to focus on the way you're setting it up. If you make any mistake during this step, it increases the chance of an accident in the future.
Install a guardrail: Even if you don't think you need it, it's better to be safe than sorry. A guardrail can help prevent you (and every other worker) from falling to the ground below.
Set it on stable and firm ground: Be careful of where you're placing scaffolding, as soft or uneven ground increases the risk of an accident.
Keep items from falling: This is an important step, as any item that falls to the ground below could hurt someone else. Imagine if a power tool falls from scaffolding that's 25 feet in the air. If it strikes someone below, a serious injury is likely to occur.

Are you worried about a workers’ compensation denial?

On behalf of The Law Office of Gretchen Hall posted in Workers' Compensation on Thursday, August 16, 2018.

If you are injured on the job, you may immediately assume you can file a claim for workers' compensation benefits.

While you have the right to do so, there is no guarantee of an approval. There's always a chance your claim could be denied, which brings even more turmoil to your life.

Potential health hazards of working as a nurse

On behalf of The Law Office of Gretchen Hall on Monday, August 13, 2018.

Working as a nurse can bring great joy to your life, as you're helping patients day after day. With so much time helping others, you may find it difficult to maintain a high level of personal health. Subsequently, you could find yourself dealing with an illness or injury at some point in the future.

According to Becker's Hospital Review, United States hospitals record tens of thousands of injuries and illnesses every year.

Examining mental health issues in the workplace

On behalf of The Law Office of Gretchen Hall posted in Mental Health Conditions Tied To The Workplace on Thursday, August 2, 2018.

Mental health has and continues to be a stigma in the United States. Many people don't like to admit when they are struggling with mental health issues and some view those who have mental health issues differently. In an effort to break this stigma more and more companies in Minnesota are talking to their employees about mental health, how to get help and how to reduce issues in the workplace that can lead to mental health problems.

Because of the stigma surrounding mental health problems, many employees fail to seek treatment for their issues for fear of losing their jobs. This is a big reason why many employees fail to speak up to their supervisor or others at their place of employment. They don't want their issues to hurt their careers.

Hazards created by strong winds on a construction worksite

On behalf of The Law Office of Gretchen Hall posted in Workers' Compensation on Friday, July 20, 2018.

As a construction worker, you know there will be days when you spend one hour after the next outdoors.

While it can be enjoyable to work outdoors, there are times when it's downright miserable. This is often related to the weather conditions, such as strong winds and heavy rain.

Workers’ compensation: 4 questions to answer

On behalf of The Law Office of Gretchen Hall on Friday, July 13, 2018.

Even if you are extremely careful, there is always a chance you could suffer an injury at work. For example, an office worker could slip and fall on a piece of debris, thus resulting in a concussion or back injury. Or a construction worker could fall from height, breaking multiple bones upon hitting the ground below.

If you suffer any type of workplace injury, you should immediately take these steps:

Stay where you are and call for help
Report the injury to your supervisor or HR department
Receive medical attention
Follow the treatment schedule outlined by your medical team
Get a better understanding of how long it will take to make a full recovery