Mason City Workers Compensation Attorneys

A serious injury at work can derail every part of your life. Whether you have suffered an electrical shock on a job site, developed a debilitating back condition from years of heavy lifting, or are simply struggling to understand why your workers' compensation claim is taking so long to resolve, you deserve clear answers and experienced legal guidance. Workers throughout Cerro Gordo County and the Mason City area work in construction, manufacturing, agriculture, transportation, and other industries that carry real and significant risks of workplace injury. When those injuries happen, the workers' compensation attorneys at Walker, Billingsley & Bair are here to help injured Iowans fight for the benefits they are legally entitled to receive.

Electrical Injuries at Work: A Serious and Often Overlooked Hazard

According to statistics provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, 66 workers died by electrocution in the construction industry alone in 2012. A study published in the journal Injury Prevention identified electrocution as the fifth leading cause of occupational injury death in the United States, describing it as a particular hazard to workers whose jobs routinely bring them into close proximity to electrical sources. For Iowa workers in Mason City and across the state, understanding the scope of electrical injury risks and the workers' compensation benefits available after such an event is critically important.

When an electrical injury happens on the job, the injured worker may be able to file a claim for workers' compensation benefits to cover the costs of medical treatment and rehabilitation, and to collect disability benefits if the injury prevents a return to work.

How Electrical Current Injures the Body

Depending on the amperage of an electrical current, injuries may range from relatively mild pain all the way to coma or death. According to MedlinePlus, electric current can cause injury in three primary ways: cardiac arrest; the destruction of tissue, muscles, and nerves as the current moves throughout the body; and thermal burns from direct contact with an electrical source.

Within those three categories, a wide range of symptoms can manifest following an electrical accident. These may include heart attack, broken bones, changes in consciousness, headaches, problems with vision, hearing or swallowing, irregular heartbeat, muscle pains and muscle spasms, numbness or tingling, and seizures. Affected individuals should seek medical treatment immediately after an accident, both for their own health and to establish a documented medical record that supports a workers' compensation claim.

Which Workers Face the Highest Risk of Electrical Injury

Electricians and other electrical workers face elevated risks because of the direct nature of their work maintaining and repairing electrical sources. However, electrical injuries are not limited to that profession. According to research published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services covering the period from 1980 to 1992, the industries with the highest percentage of worker electrocutions were construction at 40 percent, transportation, communication, and public utilities at 16 percent, manufacturing at 12 percent, and agriculture, forestry, and fishing at 11 percent. Workers in Mason City who are employed in any of these fields should remain vigilant around electrical sources and understand their rights if an injury occurs.

Workers' Compensation Benefits After an Electrical Injury

Iowa workers who suffer an electrical injury on the job are entitled to workers' compensation benefits if the injury occurred in the course of their employment. While your employer has the right to choose your medical provider, if you require emergency medical treatment you do not need to first obtain approval before seeking care. You may also be entitled to disability benefits if you are required to miss more than three days of work as a result of the injury. If the injury results in a permanent condition, you may be eligible for permanent partial disability benefits. In cases where a worker dies as a result of an electrical accident on the job, surviving family members may be entitled to death benefits. An experienced workers' compensation attorney can review the specific circumstances of your case and explain which benefits you may qualify for.

Workers' Compensation and Epidural Injections for Back Pain

Back injuries are among the most common and most costly work-related injuries in Iowa. Workers who perform heavy lifting regularly are particularly susceptible to developing back conditions that may require ongoing and sometimes intensive medical treatment, including epidural injections for back pain. These injections should be covered under workers' compensation, but disputes over coverage and benefit amounts are common, and understanding how the system works is essential for Mason City workers pursuing these claims.

What Are Epidural Injections and How Are They Used?

The epidural space is a fat-filled space located between the dura mater that surrounds the spinal cord and the wall of the vertebra. During an epidural injection, a needle is inserted into this space and corticosteroids are injected into the area to reduce swelling in the spine and help alleviate pain. Doctors use epidural injections to treat a variety of spine-related injuries and conditions, including disc herniations, spinal stenosis, and spondylolysis. Typically a patient receives the injection once every couple of weeks over a period of several weeks, though the exact schedule is determined in consultation with the treating physician.

As with any medical procedure, there are possible complications associated with epidural injections that patients should discuss thoroughly with their doctors before proceeding. These potential complications include bleeding, infection, nerve damage, and dural punctures.

How Workers' Compensation Disputes Arise Over Back Injuries and Injections

Workers' compensation insurance in Iowa is generally required to pay for medical expenses related to a work injury, as well as disability benefits based on the employee's ability to work and any permanent impairment that results. Benefits are mandatory when an employee suffered the injury in the course of employment. Injuries that arise from discrete accidents as well as repetitive and cumulative trauma, such as the kind of back damage that develops over years of heavy physical labor, are both covered.

However, doctors can heavily influence the length and amount of benefits that workers receive based on how they assess a claimant's injuries. In Iowa, employers have the right to choose the medical provider for a work injury, which creates a potential conflict of interest. In some cases, a doctor may deny that an employee has a genuine injury or disputes the level of pain the worker reports, potentially because the doctor has a relationship with the employer. In these circumstances, a worker can file an appeal for alternative medical treatment with the Iowa Workers' Compensation Commissioner (IWCC).

Permanent Disability and Industrial Disability Ratings

If an employee's back condition is not expected to improve despite continued treatment, the worker may reach a point where the underlying condition constitutes a permanent disability. Back-related disabilities are classified as industrial disabilities under Iowa workers' compensation law. The attributes that influence the number of weeks an employee receives permanent partial disability (PPD) benefits include the nature and severity of the injury and impairment, any restrictions placed on the worker, as well as the worker's skills, education, and work experience. The disability rating is measured on a scale between 0 and 100 percent and applied to a maximum of 500 weeks. Disputes over the assigned disability rating are common and often require experienced legal representation to resolve fairly.

How to Check the Status of Your Iowa Workers' Compensation Claim

After filing a workers' compensation claim in Iowa, one of the most common questions injured workers have is how to check on the status of their case and why it seems to be taking so long to resolve. The best way to stay informed about your workers' compensation claim status is to work with an attorney who will communicate directly with the workers' compensation insurer, your employer, and if necessary, the Iowa Division of Workers' Compensation. If you do not yet have an attorney, you may contact the workers' compensation insurance company handling the claim directly, or you can reach out to the Iowa Division of Workers' Compensation at 1000 East Grand Avenue, Des Moines, Iowa 50319-0209. The phone numbers for the Division are 515-281-5387 and (800) JOB-IOWA.

Keep in mind that it can take weeks or months to settle a workers' compensation case, particularly when there is a dispute over whether an injury is work-related or over the degree to which a worker is impaired. Understanding what causes these delays can help Mason City workers set realistic expectations and take proactive steps to protect their claims.

What Can Delay a Workers' Compensation Settlement in Iowa

Disputes are the most common source of delay in Iowa workers' compensation cases. If there is a dispute over whether your injury is work-related or over the severity of your impairment, you may find yourself in conflict with the workers' compensation insurer. This can require requesting an independent medical examination if you disagree with the impairment rating assigned by the insurer's chosen doctor, or exploring your options if you do not believe you are ready to return to work when your employer's physician says otherwise. In these situations, the settlement timeline extends significantly, and it may become necessary to appeal a denied workers' comp claim with the Workers' Compensation Commissioner or take other legal steps to secure the benefits you are owed.

What to Do If You Are Not Getting Updates From Your Attorney

Your attorney has an obligation to maintain open communication with you about the status of your case. If you are unable to reach your attorney's office, or if you are consistently going without updates, it may be time to consider finding new representation. When evaluating any law firm for your workers' compensation case, ask directly how the firm handles communication, whether you will receive regular updates by phone or email, and whether you will be able to call for status updates between those check-ins. These are reasonable expectations, and any firm that takes your case seriously will meet them.

Contact Mason City Workers' Compensation Attorneys at Walker, Billingsley & Bair

Whether you have been injured in an electrical accident on a Mason City job site, are dealing with a back injury that requires ongoing treatment including epidural injections, or are simply trying to understand why your workers' compensation claim is stalled, the attorneys at Walker, Billingsley & Bair are ready to help. The firm serves injured workers throughout Iowa and offers a free, confidential consultation with no obligation to hire.

Call Walker, Billingsley & Bair at (641) 792-3595 to speak with a workers' compensation attorney, or contact the firm online to get started today. Phones are answered 24 hours a day. The firm also offers a free copy of the Guide to Work Injuries: How to Avoid 7 Costly Mistakes If You Are Hurt at Work, available at no cost or obligation, so Mason City workers can learn about their rights in the comfort of their own homes before making any decisions about their claims.

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