Law Offices of David G. Arganian, Seattle, WA

Workplace Injuries at CareAlliance Health Services

CareAlliance Health Services is one of the largest employers in the Charleston area. It has more than 4,500 employees, including those at Roper, Roper North, & Bon Secours St Francis Hospitals, who are entitled to workers' compensation benefits if they suffer an injury at work.

Workers' Compensation coverage is mandated for all employees, including those in hospitals employees like Roper, Roper North, & Bon Secours St Francis. These hospitals are part of CareAlliance Health Services, one of the Charleston areas largest employers.

Hospitals are unique businesses creating a wide variety of positions including doctors, nurses, administrators, maintenance, janitorial and more. The different jobs present different risk of injury. Regardless, all accidental injuries occurring performing one's job is cover under the hospital's workers' compensation insurance. Some of the most reported injuries in hospitals include back injuries, slip and falls and ankle injuries.

Back injuries can happen many different ways in a hospital setting. Nursing are required to lift patients from gurneys to beds. Although they are trained to do so minimize injury, accidents happen. The proper procedure dictates that multiple staff lifts the patient with a sheet of other support items. If the patient make a sudden move, like a convulsion, or another staff drops the sheet, back injuries result.

Slip and falls are the most frequently occurring hospital accident. The floors are made of hard materials that ease the rolling of gurneys and medical carts. It also enhances disinfection efforts. Unfortunately, the hard floor increases the likeliness of injury. Doctors, nurses and other staff can trip over medical carts, objects that have fallen from medical carts, other people feet or extension cords. Despite best efforts, there are frequently wet spots on a hospital floor that result in a slip and fall injury.

Ankle injuries are the surprise to most people filing a workers' compensation claim. Many hospital staff opts for running shoes, since their job requires long hours on their feet. These shoes are designed for comfort over long periods of exertion; however, they are designed for uni-directional movement. This is why shoe companies make different shoes for other activities like tennis and basketball. When staff in a hospital is turning corners all day, the risk of sprained angles or torn tendons increases.

One of the unique issues related to hospital workplace injuries is choice of health care providers. Workers' compensation insurance depicts who treats you. In order to choose a different provider, the Commission needs to approve it. This is a job best left to an experience Charleston workers' compensation attorney.

If you were injured working in a hospital, seek medical treatment and report the injury to your superior. Then contact an attorney to ensure you receive all the benefits you deserve under South Carolina Workers' Compensation laws.




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