The back is one of the most vulnerable parts of the body. If it gets injured, then it can leave a victim permanently disabled or, at best, struggling with chronic pain or other medical problems.
At a construction site, there is always a chance that a worker will suffer a back injury, especially when worker is working from heights, alongside one of the area’s famous roads of highways or around heavy vehicles or machinery.
The most severe back injuries can lead to paralysis
An injury to the spinal cord, for instance, can leave a worker paralyzed or with a very limited ability to move. This type of injury can cost millions of dollars to treat, and it will likely mean that the victim will either not be able to work or will have to adapt to a new job.
Work-related accidents account for many new spinal cord injuries each year. For example, over 30% of spinal cord injuries happen because of falls, and falls are a common hazard at construction sites.
Moreover, most spinal cord injuries occur because of motor vehicle accidents, many of which involve one motorist who is traveling for his or her work.
Other types of back injuries can be debilitating as well
Thankfully, not every back injury involves damage to the spinal cord. However, other types of back injuries can also cause severe pain and other complications.
For example, a worker can suffer from a herniated disk or from ligament damage or strains while lifting a heavy object, even when the worker is following safety practices. In other cases, construction site accidents can cause whiplash, a broken vertebra or other acute injuries.
The bottom line is that even if a construction worker’s spine is safe, it does not mean that he or she won’t have to spend weeks, months or even years trying to recover from it.
Los Angeles workers who suffer back injuries while on the job may have legal options available to them above and beyond workers’ compensation benefits.