Your injury does not have to be caused by an accident to be covered by workers compensation. As an employee, you can receive compensation for repetitive stress injuries caused by overuse or misuse over a long period of time.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the U.S. Department of Labor and the Bureau of Labor Statistics, more than a million workers suffer back injuries each year. Over twenty percent of workplace injuries involve back strain of some kind.

Many movements and duties can cause job-related back injuries, from lifting, carrying, holding and lowering heavy items to twisting, bending over, or reaching up to do even minor tasks. Some back injuries come from a single act, like lifting a package that is too heavy. Other back injuries can come from repetitive motions over time. Actions like pulling, pushing, or loading can gradually weaken your back and cause strain.

Chronic back pain is a serious risk for workers whose jobs require them to do repetitive motions or movements that involve awkward body positions. A repetitive stress injury can happen in many fields, but some of the most commonly afflicted workers include construction workers, utility workers, tunnel workers, truckers, even line cooks, teachers, bus drivers and retail industry workers.

Whether acute or chronic, back injury can require surgery, time off from work, and other medical intervention.

Often when employees are hurt on the job, they are reluctant to file a workers’ compensation claim out of fear that they will be fired, or will be forced to take time off without coverage.

Finding an experienced work accident attorney is crucial when trying to seek compensation so that you can make sure that your rights are fully protected. In order to ensure that you and your loved ones receive the best outcome, make sure you have the help of an experienced Illinois workplace injury lawyer.

Call us at (312) 726-5567 for a free consultation or contact us online.