If you work for McDonald’s and suffer from a painful work related injury like a herniated disc, you should make sure you get proper treatment and then file a claim for compensation through McDonald’s workers’ compensation insurance. There is no point in staying at work if you are suffering from a debilitating injury as it is likely to only get worse. A successful claim can help pay for any medical treatment and will compensate you for a percentage of lost wages. Workers’ compensation claims must follow an established procedure and sometimes can be challenged by an employer’s own insurer. It can help to get initial advice from a workers’ comp. attorney before filing a claim for a herniated disc injury. How Herniated Disc Injuries can Occur at Work Herniated disc injuries are particularly painful and can prevent the sufferer from doing any meaningful work. They typically occur in the lower back or lumbar region where much of the effort of lifting or bending occurs. Employees at McDonalds typically do a lot of different jobs, including moving boxes of food into the kitchen, cleaning kitchen equipment and removing customers’ meal remains from tables. This can cause a herniated disc injury to occur. The injury involves a portion of a disc of cartilage, normally a lubricating component of every joint, ‘slipping’ out of its normal position. The portion of disc that is dislodged then presses against an adjacent nerve, causing intense pain. Herniated disc injuries do not necessarily need surgery, but they do sometimes need length period of rest and the use of painkillers before the disc returns naturally to its correct position. Filing a WC Claim For a Herniated Disc Against McDonalds If you need to stay away from work because of the painful condition of a herniated disc, you must inform your McDonalds manager that your absence from work is related to a workplace related injury and give details. Find out whether you need to attend a preferred doctor for a diagnosis and preferred medical facility for treatment. Failure to do so may invalidate a claim made at a later date. While McDonalds is found all over the U.S., local workers’ comp. rules are set by the state. They determine what time limits there are for each step of the process and what can be obtained as part of a compensation package. Make sure you document every step of your treatment so that it is clear that your injury was diagnosed as a work related problem and that you are claiming for treatment that is related to the injury and not something else. A Workers’ Compensation Attorney Can Help You With Your Claim Denied workers’ comp. claims are unfortunately too common a reality. Sometimes, it is because the applicant has not followed the correct procedure or submitted sufficient documentation to justify why they are claiming compensation. Sometimes, an insurer may doubt whether an injury is actually work related. You can avoid a claim denial by getting help from an experienced workers’ comp. attorney in the first place. If your claim is denied, you will certainly need legal assistance. Additional Resources Do I Need an Attorney If I Suffered a Herniated Disc at Work? Can I Get Workers’ Compensation for a Bulging Disc Injury? *Disclaimer The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against McDonalds, or another party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
