Charlotte Truck Driver Back Injuries Lawyers
If you suffered a back injury at your commercial trucking job, you may be financially struggling with expensive medical bills, especially if you are unable to work and earn income because of your injury. Fortunately, you do not have to deal with the financial fallout
of a job-related trucking injury without support. You may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, which can replace part of your wages while providing additional coverage for surgery, hospitalization, and other reasonable treatment costs.
Unfortunately, getting benefits can be a difficult process, even if you are covered by the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act. The process of preparing and filing a claim is complex, and further, there is an additional risk that your claim could be denied by your employer or the insurance company.
An experienced Charlotte workers’ compensation attorney can make sure that your claim is prepared properly, that your rights are protected, and that you have step-by-step support if your claim is denied or your benefits are suspended.
For a free legal consultation about North Carolina workers’ compensation benefits for a back injury related to commercial trucking, call the Ramsay Law Firm at (704) 376-1616.
Common Back Injuries for Truck Drivers
Job-related back injuries are common among truck drivers. Trucking-related back injuries can occur for a variety of reasons, ranging from vehicular accidents, to accidents that occur at loading or unloading points, to the strain of sitting for long hours in the cramped cab of a semi-trailer truck. Like other workers, truck drivers also risk experiencing workplace violence or assault while on the job.
Unlike a personal injury claim, a workers’ compensation claim does not require the injured trucker to prove the existence of fault or negligence. As long as the injury was not intentionally self-inflicted, was not caused by the trucker’s own intoxication, and occurred in the course and scope of the truck driver’s employment, the back injury is likely to be covered regardless of who caused it or how it occurred.
An injury to the back muscles, the spinal column (backbone), or the spinal cord can have devastating consequences. Soft tissue injuries or musculoskeletal injuries, such as injuries to tendons and ligaments, can restrict movement and make long hours of driving impossible.
Damage to the delicate spinal cord can result in permanent weakness, pain, loss of sensation, or even paralysis. Some common examples of back injuries that frequently occur in the trucking industry include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Back injuries caused by accidental falls or slip and fall accidents
- Back injuries caused by commercial trucking accidents with other vehicles
- Bulging disc or herniated disc injuries
- Cuts, lacerations, and puncture wounds to the back
- Burn injuries to the back
- Soft tissue injuries, such as muscle sprains and strain injuries
- Vertebral fractures (broken back)
- Whiplash and other neck injuries, which can cause or aggravate back pain
Can You Get Workers’ Compensation Benefits for a Trucking Back Injury?
Motor carriers and trucking companies are generally required to carry workers’ compensation insurance under the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act. Regardless of whether you are classified as an employee or independent contractor at your trucking job, you may have grounds to file a claim for workers’ compensation benefits if you suffered an injury while performing your work.
You may also have a claim for benefits if your job worsened or aggravated an existing back injury, such as an old injury that you previously suffered in a car accident, sports accident, or fall.
If your employer does not carry workers’ compensation insurance, or has told you that you are ineligible to file a claim, you should discuss the situation with our Charlotte workers’ comp lawyers as soon as possible. Unfortunately, your employer may be trying to save money – and violating your legal rights in the process – by hindering your attempts to make a claim. Our attorneys can assess the situation to determine the best course of action to pursue compensation for your injuries.
Charlotte, NC Workers’ Compensation Attorneys for Truckers
If you injured your back while you were operating a commercial vehicle, or while you were performing other duties at your trucking job, you may have a right to workers’ compensation benefits, contact our Charlotte workplace injury lawyers. Workers’ compensation benefits cover approximately two thirds of your pre-injury wages, while providing additional compensation for medical treatment and care costs.
Led by founding attorney and Board Certified Workers’ Compensation Trial Lawyer Martha Ramsay, our aggressive legal team is known for its strong track record of obtaining benefits for seriously injured truckers and commercial drivers.
For assistance filing a back injury workers’ compensation claim in North Carolina, or to get legal help if your benefits were recently terminated or suspended, contact the Ramsay Law Firm at (704) 376-1616 for a free consultation
