How chronic pain can affect your ability to work
by Andrew Bainbridge | Mar 03, 2015 | Workers' Compensation
If you’ve ever suffered a serious or catastrophic injury because of your job, then you know how long the healing process can take. It can take months or even years before you are even well enough to return to work and even then you may never feel 100 percent.
In many cases, pain can linger for months or even years after an injury is said to have healed. When the pain persists for longer than six months, it crosses into the realm of chronic pain, a condition that can not only affect your daily life but your ability to do your job as well.
According to WebMD, nerve damage is a common factor in many chronic pain cases. In some work-related injury cases, it can occur because an injury failed to heal properly. Whatever the factor may be, chronic pain can take its toll on a person because the nervous system is constantly sending pain signals to the brain. This can affect a person’s mood, energy levels and even their immune system over time. If the chronic pain is severe enough, it may be enough to prevent someone from ever returning to work again.
Your right to benefits
If you are suffering from chronic pain because of a work-related injury then you may be eligible for permanent partial disability benefits through workers’ compensation. Because chronic pain is recognized as a disability by Social Security, you may also be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance as well.
As we have explained before though on this blog, applying for benefits can get complicated and even frustrating. But with a skilled attorney from the Bainbridge Firm, LLC at your side, you can rest assured that you’re getting the help you need to access the benefits you deserve.