How blue-collar work injuries can change workers’ lives

Some job injuries are frustrating but minor. With the right treatment, the affected worker can eventually resume their job with few issues. Other times, workers may sustain injuries that change their lives.

Brain injuries, spinal cord injuries and amputations are among the most severe work-related injuries possible. These more catastrophic conditions can have lifetime consequences for injured employees. Blue-collar workers are at higher risk of certain injuries and may deal with more consequences if they do get hurt.

What do blue-collar workers need to know about more serious on-the-job injuries?

Their careers may end abruptly

A successful blue-collar career requires a healthy body. Employers often have high expectations regarding efficiency and reliability. If workers cannot perform the same tasks quickly and effectively because of their injuries, they may not be able to work a well-paid job anymore.

In more severe cases, workers may not even be able to transition into poorly-paid retail work. Injured blue-collar workers have to prepare for a substantial reduction in their earning potential or the possibility that they cannot work at all.

Accommodations can become expensive

Workers with catastrophic injuries may require accommodations in their daily lives. They may need accessible living spaces and vehicle alterations so that they can drive. The cost of those accommodations can easily add up to tens of thousands of dollars every time the injured worker acquires a new vehicle or moves to a new living space.

Injuries affect personalities and relationships

Although quantifying such losses can be difficult, many people dealing with significant work-related injuries experience changes in their relationships as well as changes in their overall mood and personality.

The frustration of living with chronic pain and functional limitations can affect someone’s daily life and how they view the world. Many previously independent blue-collar employees struggle to adjust to life with a debilitating injury.

Legal support is often necessary

Some professionals take for granted that they can handle a complex workers’ compensation claim on their own behalf. However, mistakes or oversights can cause delays and setbacks.

Frustrated workers may fail the submit paperwork before certain deadlines or might even give up due to the red tape involved. The more serious an injury is and the bigger the long-term impact it has on an employee’s life, the more important it becomes for a worker to have support as they pursue benefits and negotiate their claim.

The right assistance can make a significant difference for a worker dealing with catastrophic job injuries. Having support and understanding the challenges ahead during a workers’ compensation claim can help employees in need of benefits. Blue-collar workers have a lot to lose if job injuries cause permanent changes to their bodies.