
Workers in industries that require manual labor, such as construction, are at most risk for a spinal cord injury while on the job. The spinal cord is one of the most important organs in the human body. Housed by vertebrae, the spinal cord is the information highway of the nervous system that transmits signals to and from the brain. Humans have 33 individual vertebrae, which are the bones that make up the spine. These bones can be damaged as easily as a femur or humerus bone, except that instead of a broken leg or arm, the result can be damage to the spinal cord, resulting in paralysis in some cases. When this happens, and an employee is unable to return to work, he or she may be eligible for workers’ compensation.
What Is Workers’ Compensation?
Every Colorado business with employees, no matter the size, is required to provide workers’ compensation insurance. This is a protection for employees in the unfortunate event they are hurt on the job. Workers’ compensation also protects employers from lawsuits solely based on an accident or an injury an employee may sustain. Eligible employees have the right to file for workers’ compensation if the injury is suffered at the workplace. Whether an employee is permanently or temporarily disabled, workers’ compensation benefits provide financial security by compensating an employee for lost wages and medical bills. Even if an accident on the job is the employee’s fault, he or she is still eligible for workers’ comp benefits.
...