Is chronic pain covered by workers’ compensation?

Some jobs require physical movements that take a strain on the body over a prolonged period of time. If you are a manual laborer, work in agriculture or you are a construction worker, it’s likely that you are on your feet all day and often have to lift heavy objects or engage in repetitive movements as part of your work duties.

If you start to experience pain as a result of your working activity, it is important that you seek medical attention as soon as it becomes a problem. Early diagnosis and treatment could help you to avoid becoming permanently injured. If you suffer an injury that does not fully heal — for example, if you injure your back after lifting a heavy object in the workplace — you may start to experience chronic pain that does not get better over time. The following is an overview of what you can do to gain compensation after a work injury that led to chronic pain.

The definition of chronic pain

Pain that lasts for more than six months is defined medically as chronic pain. Chronic pain can be categorized as mild, moderate or severe. If you can show that you are suffering from chronic pain due to an injury at work, it is likely that you will be able to gain workers’ compensation.

Your entitlement to workers’ compensation

The vast majority of employees in the United States are covered by workers’ compensation insurance. To successfully gain benefits, you must notify your employer of your work-related injury in a reasonable time period after the incident. You must also be able to show that you acquired the injury when engaging in a work-related activity.

By filing for workers’ compensation after suffering from chronic pain, you should be able to gain compensation for all medical expenses and for a portion of the wages that you lost. Make sure that you take swift action to understand how the law applies to your situation.