Helping an injured worker return to their Charlotte job

According to federal government statistics, there are about 3 million non-fatal work injuries per year. Of those, more than half of the hurt workers required time away from their jobs to recuperate.

Of course, many of the injured workers required workers’ compensation benefits that include medical care and partial wage replacement. For employees and employers, the goals after injuries include recovery and a return to job.

In many cases, North Carolina employers have return-to-work programs to help expedite the process. These programs are created to identify any needed work arrangements, restrictions, limitations or accommodations that will be needed for the employee to make a safe return.

There are factors for employers to consider when creating these programs, says the Claims Journal, an insurance publication. Some of these factors include the following:

• An employee’s relationship with the employer: if the injured worker has an adversarial or otherwise negative relationship with the supervisor or company owner, they can be unsure of their sense of worth in the workplace and be less likely to want to return to uncertain situation.
• Fears of re-injury: when someone is injured on the job doing a task that is a routine part of their work, they can fear a return to their jobs, often wondering if repeating that particular task will result in a new injury or a re-injury.
• Multiple workers’ comp claims: the Claims Journal says that in situations in which a worker has more than one claim open, it can be difficult to track “track of which injury is being accounted for, ultimately delaying settlements and prolonging the return-to-work process.”

Injured Charlotte workers who have had a workers’ compensation claim denied can speak with an attorney who understands the paperwork and appeals process.