Fayetteville Personal Injury Law Blog

Moving patients a common cause of injury in health care

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Monday, May 13, 2019.

Today’s nurses make their living in an inherently dangerous line of work, and the work-related hazards they face every day on the job are plentiful. While simply working in close proximity to ailing people has the potential to impact your health, nurses also face threats from violent patients or family members in addition to a broad range of other possible hazards.

While modern nurses face numerous work-related health hazards, Healthcare Business & Technology reports that some of the most common injuries suffered by today’s working nurses result from moving patients. Workplace injuries that result from heavy lifting have become so widespread, in fact, that nurses suffer in excess of 35,000 lifting-related injuries annually that are bad enough to keep them out of the workplace. Just why is it that so many nurses are suffering serious back, neck and musculoskeletal injuries that have the potential to impact their quality of life, and are medical providers doing anything to help their workers?

Use these ladder safety tips to prevent a fall

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Monday, April 15, 2019.

Working in the humid North Carolina heat is not something everyone enjoys. As a construction worker, you must keep your eyes open and your body well-hydrated to keep from overheating.

Aside from the heat in the summer, you need to keep an eye out for ladder hazards. More workers suffer injuries from falling than any other incident. One of the leading culprits is the ladder. Take some of these tips into consideration before climbing the rungs at work.

Determining compensation in permanent partial injury cases

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Thursday, March 28, 2019.

A physically demanding job can take its toll on your body, and an unexpected workplace accident may limit your abilities for the rest of your life. If you find yourself unable to work, your employer should provide some form of reimbursement.

Laws regarding workers' compensation vary from state to state. In North Carolina, a permanent partial injury is severe enough to grant you significant benefits.

Most common restaurant worker injuries

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Thursday, March 14, 2019.

Regardless of the industry in question, an injured worker needs to start the workers' compensation claims process as soon as the injury becomes apparent. However, there are some occupations that are more hazardous than others.

Restaurant workers, including waiters, servers, hosts and chefs, have numerous hazards in their line of work. The employer should go over all safety training before letting someone start working, but employees cannot prevent every incident. For example, a North Carolina man drove his SUV through a restaurant in September of 2018, injuring several people. Even the most careful individuals can still sustain injuries, so it is vital for restaurant workers to look out for the following.

A carpenter, arthritis of the knee and workers� compensation

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Tuesday, February 19, 2019.

Perhaps you are a carpenter and have worked in construction all your life.

Pain in your knees results from the kind of work you do, and the diagnosis is osteoarthritis. Are you eligible for workers’ compensation?

What to do when your workers' compensation claim is denied

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Thursday, February 14, 2019.

Sustaining an injury at or acquiring a disease from work is a traumatic experience that can lead to years of physical and emotional pain. The beginning of recovery comes with filing a workers' compensation claim so you can receive financial support during this difficult time.

Unfortunately, the process is not as simple as filling out some paperwork and waiting for the money to arrive. Its complexity makes the chances of a denial likely. Do not let that make you give up. With professional help, you can take action again to successfully secure workers' compensation benefits.

3 steps to take after a dog bites you at your friend's house

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Wednesday, January 30, 2019.

Dog bites happen far more frequently than most people realize. Over 4.5 million people suffer from dog bites in the United States every year. Fortunately, only one out of every five of these bites requires medical attention.

Dogs bite for a litany of reasons, such as feeling scared or not receiving proper training. You know you need to see a doctor after the bite, but you do not want your friend's dog to be put down. Keep in mind, it is rare for local authorities to put a dog down after one incident. The most important thing is to protect your rights and receive the necessary compensation.

Workplace injury statistics from the National Safety Council

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Thursday, January 10, 2019.

Everyone knows that workplace injuries happen, but are you aware of how common they are? The numbers may surprise you. For example, an employee gets hurt on the job every seven seconds.

Occupational injuries are far too common in the United States. All of these injuries are preventable but still occur. It is helpful to understand the data about occupational incidents so you can inform yourself and be safer.

North Carolina's most dangerous occupations

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Monday, December 17, 2018.

When it comes to workplace injuries, some occupations in North Carolina are much more hazardous than others. If you work in one of these high-risk jobs, you should be aware of the potential for injury so you can take extra precautions to keep yourself safe.

Here are the jobs with the most frequent rates of workplace injury in North Carolina. The state's Industrial Commission offers protection to workers through the state workers' compensation benefits program.

How does workers' comp classify your injury?

On behalf of Jerry Parker of Parker & Frey PLLC on Friday, December 7, 2018.

Sustaining an injury at work is naturally a fearful event. In that moment, you may not know what your future is going to look like. What is the extent of the injury? How long will it take to recover, or is full recovery not a possibility? Will you be able to work again?

It may take time to answer these questions, but they are important to answer because they affect the type of workers' compensation claim you can file. Different classifications for injuries exist, and each comes with its own benefits to help pay for medical bills and lost wages.

Temporary full disability: Your injury completely prevents you from working at all right now, but the expectation is that you will recover and be able to work again in the future.
Temporary partial disability: Your injury does not stop you from working in some way, but you may have to do different tasks and/or work less often, thus lowering the amount of money you make. However, the change in employment only lasts until you recover.
Permanent full disability: Your injury is so catastrophic that you will never be able to work again.
Permanent partial disability: Your injury is not so severe that you cannot work, but you will never return back to your normal pre-accident condition.