Milwaukee Workers' Compensation Blog

Safer patient handling can save your back and your career

On behalf of Domer Law on Monday, April 8, 2019.

Nurses have one of the highest rates of musculoskeletal disorders in any field in the U.S. Everyday tasks can endanger the health of your spine. Awkward twisting, lifting and manually repositioning patients can lead to serious damage over time. Traumatic injuries can happen in a split second. Supposedly stable patients can stumble. Heavier patients can fall on medical professionals of smaller stature. Short-staffing can put pressure on a single nurse. Emergency situations can place someone in a physically difficulty position.

Accidents are common for nurses and medical professionals (this includes registered nurses, certified nursing assistants, physician assistants, advanced practice nurse prescribers, and more). If possible, safe patient handling techniques or lifts can help minimize those accident risks. There are many myths around safe patient handling, and as a natural caretaker it can be tempting to help a patient stand once or twice. Your patient might be agitated or have a sour attitude toward mechanical lifts. While these are not always feasible, these machines can be used for your safety and that of the patient.

Do Higher Group Insurance Deductibles Mean More Work Comp Claims?

By Charlie Domer of Domer Law on Wednesday, March 6, 2019.

Are some injuries not submitted to work comp?: Those of us dealing daily with injured workers have long suspected that many work injuries go unreported for a variety of reasons. Workers with access to health care insurance with a low deductible may choose to file with group health instead of workers' compensation. Workers with other wage replacement benefits (such as short-term disability) may also choose not to file for workers' compensation. Employer intimidation through both overt and covert suggestions or directives not to file for workers' compensation also applies. The stigma and the loss of bonuses or overtime pay is another contributing factor to non-filing for workers' compensation..

Nurses get hurt (but safer patient handling might save your back and your career)

On behalf of Domer Law posted in workers' compensation on Tuesday, February 26, 2019.

Nurses have one of the highest rates of musculoskeletal disorders in any field in the U.S. Everyday tasks can endanger the health of your spine. Awkward twisting, lifting and manually repositioning patients can lead to serious damage over time. Traumatic injuries can happen in a split second. Supposedly stable patients can stumble. Heavier patients can fall on medical professionals of smaller stature. Short-staffing can put pressure on a single nurse. Emergency situations can place someone in a physically difficulty position.

Accidents are common for nurses and medical professionals (this includes registered nurses, certified nursing assistants, physician assistants, advanced practice nurse prescribers, and more). If possible, safe patient handling techniques or lifts can help minimize those accident risks. There are many myths around safe patient handling, and as a natural caretaker it can be tempting to help a patient stand once or twice. Your patient might be agitated or have a sour attitude toward mechanical lifts. While these are not always feasible, these machines can be used for your safety and that of the patient.

Proposed changes to hog slaughter lines may endanger workers

On behalf of Domer Law on Wednesday, December 19, 2018.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture(USDA) has proposed removing the speed limits on hog slaughtering in meatpacking plants. Currently, plants are limited to slaughtering 1,106 pigs an hour to allow government inspectors time to examine each pig. The National Employment Law Project (NELP) fears removing limits will put workers at a greater risk for injury.

Can I receive workers’ comp if I’m injured at a seasonal job?

On behalf of Domer Law on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

Seasonal employees are an important part of the holidays. As a seasonal worker, you know you are a vital resource for businesses to continue serving their customers’ needs during a time when traffic and sales are high. You are just as valuable as a regular employee.

Like any other employee, you deserve the right to a safe workplace. If an accident occurs and you are injured, you may be wondering how you will pay for your medical expenses and lost wages during this crucial moneymaking time. Regular employees would file a workers’ compensation claim, but is that option available to you?

Tips for returning to work after an injury

On behalf of Domer Law on Monday, September 24, 2018.

An injury at work can have far-reaching consequences. Besides the obvious potential loss of income and the pain of an injury, there are other factors to consider. One of the biggest is how to handle returning to work.

Given the access to quality medical care and the choice of physicians, injured workers in Wisconsin return to work faster than virtually every state in the country.

Injured while driving on the job? Workers' comp is your remedy

On behalf of Domer Law posted in workplace injuries on Thursday, August 9, 2018.

Delivery drivers, both commercial and freight, subject themselves to serious injury on the roadway. Alongside you, drunk and distracted drivers infiltrate state highways and residential roads. Though you obey traffic laws, other drivers may hit you, injuring you while you're on the job.

In Wisconsin, if another driver injures you while you perform your job duties, you may be eligible for workers' compensation while you're unable to work--including payment of lost time benefits and medical treatment expenses. Importantly, you can pursue a worker's compensation at the same time as a personal injury action against the faulty driver.

3 FAQs About Independent Medical Examinations

On behalf of Domer Law posted in workers' compensation on Thursday, July 19, 2018.

Since filing your workers' compensation claim six months ago, you've been diligent about attending every required medical appointment to treat your injury. While the treatment has helped thus far, your doctors say that more visits will be necessary to ensure a full recovery. Your employer's insurance company, however, wants you to get a second opinion. They have scheduled an Independent Medical Examination (IME) performed by a doctor of their choice, of which you are told your attendance is required.

When workers receive notice of an IME, they often have many questions. Here are some answers to frequently asked questions regarding IMEs to give you a better understanding of the process.

3 steps to take after a work injury

On behalf of Domer Law posted in workplace injuries on Thursday, May 24, 2018.

The steps you take in the days and weeks following a work-related injury can greatly impact your workers' compensation claim. Without adhering to proper procedures, your claim may be denied, your benefits could be delayed or your injury may worsen if you don't take proper care.

What should you do if you've been injured on the job?

Construction work is one of the most dangerous fields

On behalf of Domer Law posted in workplace injuries on Monday, April 9, 2018.

Seasonal work like construction is picking up as the Wisconsin spring slowly arrives. Road work, sidewalk and median maintenance, and new building construction will soon be underway throughout the area.

Given the physical nature of the job and the heavy machinery used, construction is one of the state's most dangerous jobs. Nationwide statistics highlight this danger all too well. In 2016, 991 private industry construction workers died on the job--21.1 percent of total workplace fatalities in the country that year (the most recent year with statistics available). Put in simpler terms, one of every five workplace deaths was from a construction accident.