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Common injuries health care workers have to contend with

On Behalf of | Nov 9, 2022 | Workers' Compensation

Doctors, nurses, anesthetists and other healthcare professionals devote long hours to care for the sick and injured among us. This is, without a doubt, one of the toughest jobs out there. And it does come with its share of dangers and hazards too.

There are several wonderful hospitals in San Diego, but there are a lot of patients too, which means healthcare workers are overworked. Consequently, injuries are prevalent. If you sustain an injury at work, you may be eligible for compensation through the California workers’ compensation program. But how do healthcare workers get hurt at work?

Here are some of the leading causes of injuries among health care workers

Overexertion and repetitive stress – From manually lifting and repositioning patients to standing for long hours, healthcare workers engage in activities that greatly expose them to the danger of musculoskeletal injuries. Musculoskeletal injuries come with a variety of symptoms that may include chronic pain, inflammation, stiff joints, muscle spasms and difficulty with mobility.

Understaffing – most healthcare facilities are understaffed for a variety of reasons. Understaffing can lead to a variety of costly work-related mistakes and injuries. Overworked and fatigued healthcare providers tend to have judgment errors, reduced reaction times, poor concentration and impaired decision-making. All these put them and their patients at risk of injury.

So what do you do if you are hurt at work?

A workplace injury can leave you will a huge medical bill as well as other damages. Of course, you cannot sue your employer for any of these. However, you can pursue workers’ compensation through the insurance company. In California, you need to pursue this claim within one year from the date of your injury or its discovery.

Healthcare workers contend with a variety of hazards at work. Find out how you can protect your rights and interests while pursuing compensation for your workplace injuries.