Rehabilitation Tips for Employees out on North Carolina Workers’ Compensation
You’ve successfully fought for and won a substantial North Carolina Workers’ Compensation claim. Now you are left with the difficult and long-term task of rebuilding your life, planning your career direction, and managing your injury/injuries. Here are some useful tips and solutions as you make this great journey back to financial and physical health.
1. Get support
No one recovers alone. Human beings are social creatures. We need the support of doctors, friends, family members, and other people who are going through similar situations. Reach out to people who can help you, including specialized North Carolina Workers’ Compensation attorneys, support groups, and the helpful operators at the North Carolina Industrial Commission. You are not the first person forced to endure a long and difficult rehabilitation from an on the job injury. And you need not “reinvent the wheel” when it comes to navigating recovery. Listen to what others have to say, and do due diligence and research now to save yourself trouble down the line.
2. Treat your injuries holistically.
You may simply have suffered a sprained finger on the job, or you may have endured something more severe, like a blood injury due to chemical exposure. Whatever the case, in addition to the acute damage the injury/illness has caused you, you have no doubt suffered secondary and even tertiary consequences from the initial insult. Often times, surgery and pain medications can alleviate some of initial symptoms. Work now with your physician to develop a long term system of pain management, exercise, diet, flexibility training, and ergonomic practices. Otherwise, you could easily reopen old wounds and exacerbate current problems. For instance, people who get typing injuries in one hand often revert to using the less favored hand to type — without changing anything fundamental about their work habits. As a result, the less favored hand also gets injured.
3. Budget realistically for the future – and don’t ignore your finances.
While filling out and waiting for a North Carolina Workers’ Compensation claim to go through, it’s easy to awfulize bad news and celebrate good news. Try to keep yourself on an even keel. The budgetary uncertainty won’t go away soon – even if your claim goes through fine. You have a difficult and unpredictable recovery and rehabilitation ahead of you. Budget conservatively, and develop workarounds to protect your nest egg and ensure a good quality of life — without creating undue expectations. If your spouse or partner can pick up some of the financial burden, may be that’s something to consider. If you can take on a temporary job that doesn’t stress your injuries or interfere with your rehabilitation, that also might be something to consider. Workarounds abound. The key is to, first of all, be honest about where your financial situation is right now. Only once you have collected all of your concerns, hopes, and fears about your financial future can you make an accurate and active strategic plan.
4. Consult with a reputable and experienced North Carolina Workers’ Compensation firm regarding any legal questions.
Often, North Carolina Workers’ Compensation claimants wait until the last minute – or wait until deadlines have passed – to get good legal help. Don’t make that mistake. Whether you are negotiating with insurance companies, dealing with an uncooperative employer, or simply confused by the maze of paperwork presented to you, you need not go down this path alone. A free consultation with a vetted and credentialed N.C Workers’ Comp Attorney can make a huge difference to your financial future and to the prospects for your rehabilitation.
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