3 ways workers can suffer traumatic brain injuries on the job

A traumatic brain injury (TBI) might force someone to take an extended leave of absence from work. People may spend weeks in the hospital or require surgery before they fully recover. In some situations, TBIs create lasting consequences that affect someone’s ability to perform the same job.

Sometimes, the brain injury that affects an individual’s job performance and daily life is actually a result of their employment. Workers can easily hurt their brains on the job and then wind up in need of workers’ compensation benefits for months, if not the rest of their lives.

What are some of the ways that a worker could incur a TBI on the job?

A worker falls

Falls are one of the most common ways that people hurt their heads. You don’t have to work in an extra-dangerous profession like forestry or construction for a fall to occur on the job. Even a slip-and-fall on one level could result in someone hitting their head and developing a TBI.

A worker experiences interpersonal violence

Maybe you have frequently argued with one of your co-workers, and then one day they come back from their lunch break and have clearly had something to drink. Their intoxicated state leads to them becoming verbally abusive and then physically aggressive. They punch you, which could cause a traumatic brain injury.

Violence could also come from visitors to your business. Someone attempting to stop a shoplifting incident or intervene in an argument could end up hurt by someone they don’t even know. Getting pushed down or struck in the head could cause a TBI.

A worker gets into a car crash

Many people drive as part of their jobs. If a collision occurs, both blunt force trauma and the violent motion of the vehicle during the collision could cause bleeding and swelling of the brain.

In any of these situations, a worker may have a life-altering injury or may require months of medical care before they fully recover. Workers’ compensation benefits can both fully cover someone’s medical expenses and replace a portion of the wages they don’t earn. Understanding that you are at risk for a traumatic brain injury might help you pursue a claim if you need support after an injury on the job.