Columbus Workers' Compensation Law Blog

When a person in Ohio has been injured on the job, they are entitled to seek workers' compensation benefits to supplement the income lost during treatment and recovery for their injuries. Necessary medical treatment is not always easy to predict and sometimes additional treatment is required beyond the initial diagnosis period.

In some cases, an injured worker must seek an extension of benefits when more treatment is necessary. One young worker filed such an extension after experiencing excruciating pain beyond the period of time allotted for by his temporary total-disability benefits. His extension was denied due in part to photos found on his Facebook profile that depicted him drinking with his friends.

The recent death of a 53-year-old Ohio Turnpike Commission construction worker in Sandusky County, Ohio, has the state highway patrol urging drivers to be more careful. The man's death occurred after he was part of an accident involving a vehicle. No cause has been determined as of yet, so no charges have been filed.

According to reports, approximately 5,000 construction accidents such as this happen each year. This, along with the recent tragedy, has led at least one member of the Ohio Highway Patrol to speak out.

Any Ohio workers injured on the job may know that taking a leave can lead to many complications. The Family Medical Leave Act and workers' compensation may seem to conflict, but can actually work in favor of a hurt employee depending on the circumstances.

First, a better understanding of both is necessary. Workers' compensation is usually granted when someone is injured because of his or her job. This means that medical expenses will likely be covered if the injury can be associated to the worker's job. Compensation will also be given for time that is spent recovering.

First lady Michelle Obama recently announced a new part of her "Joining Forces" campaign that will hope to better address a serious injury for those in Ohio and across the country. When an individual experiences a traumatic brain injury, they can be saddled with a lifetime of complications. With her recent announcement, the first lady hopes to prepare future physicians for the long-term challenges.

Traumatic brain injuries and post-traumatic stress disorder will both be included in courses at many medical schools across the nation. The two aforementioned conditions are signature injuries of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Obama, along with officials from the Association of American Medical Colleges, will make sure that medical professionals are prepared.

There has been much talk lately about disabled workers and their struggles in getting back to work. Much of this talk ignores what some have called the "elephant in the room", the great recession, which has resulted in millions of lost jobs. This shortage of employment opportunity is pitting the able against the disabled in the race to find a new job. Clearly the disabled are at a disadvantage in this competition. This makes some to look at trying to change the Workers' Compensation system because of the stress placed upon it by this very competition. In a thriving economy, many more opportunities are available to return to the workforce once they are able to do so. Currently, one may stay in the system longer because those jobs are no longer as readily available.

As unemployment benefits run out for many Ohio residents, some of those workers are attempting to receive new benefits to supplement their income. Social Security disability is available to some of them because they are considered disabled. Others are attempting to apply for the government benefits despite their health.

Experts believe that some of these people are discouraged and simply need a source of income. With an average unemployment period of 10 months, it is no wonder that many are discouraged, but the program could be drained of funds for disabled citizens who really need it.

As one of the two major wars that the United States is involved in comes to a close, many troops are returning home to states like Ohio. One of the signature injuries sustained by troops during the wars in the Middle East is the traumatic brain injury, and many soldiers are suffering from the effects.

Some of those injuries are becoming worse as time goes on because they remain undetected, largely due to flaws in the diagnosis and treatment of soldiers who have been subjected to potential brain-injuring circumstances, such as the explosion of a roadside bomb.

Earlier this month, three workers in Woodville Township, Ohio, were injured after a rebar concrete form they were working on collapsed. The construction accident was serious enough that two of the workers required helicopter transportation to the University of Toledo Medical Center and Mercy St. Vincent Medical Center. The third injured worker was hospitalized with less serious injuries after being transported via ambulance.

According to the corporate safety director for the construction company, of the three individuals, they were all released later that day with minor injuries. All three of them had fallen approximately 24 feet because of the collapse. He said that the use of medical helicopters was a precaution because of the remote location of the facility.