If you have been knocked unconscious in a work accident, you may have a more serious injury than you realize. Unfortunately, the workers’ compensation insurance company could use this as an excuse to limit your available benefits.
Serious Consequences of Being Knocked Unconscious
Whether you became unconscious due to a car accident, a fall, or a blow to the head, you could suffer serious medical consequences. While you might wake up feeling just fine, some medical conditions related to unconsciousness can occur without you knowing, such as:
- Concussion
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI)
- Brain bleed
- Spinal cord or neck injuries
- Skull fracture
- Stroke or blood clot
- Coma
- Memory loss
For instance, you might not even realize that you have a bleed in your brain unless you get proper medical treatment. Without treatment, a brain bleed could prove fatal. After any bout of unconsciousness due to a work injury or otherwise, you must get immediate medical assistance.
Will You Have to Pay Your Medical Costs After Losing Consciousness?
Workers’ compensation exists so that you can go to the doctor after a work injury and not have to pay for your medical bills. Instead, your employer pays insurance premiums to a workers’ compensation insurance company, which covers the bills.
The insurance company wants to limit its costs for your work injury, so it may deny your requests for specific diagnostic tests or treatments. For example, your doctor might recommend that you get an MRI scan after losing consciousness, but the insurance company might not want to pay for it. In Minnesota, workers are entitled to receive any medical care that is necessary and reasonably related to their workplace injuries. You may need a doctor’s report explaining why you need the MRI to convince the insurance company.
Other Struggles for Workers Knocked Unconscious
Finally, you may face difficulty getting an accurate report of how your injury occurred. Because you were not conscious, you did not see what happened immediately after your injury and might not remember how you got injured. You might need to gather witnesses or request security camera footage to aid in your case for benefits.
Need help getting workers’ compensation for your injury? Joe Osterbauer, Esq. and the Osterbauer Law Firm stand up for injured Minnesota workers’ rights. Joe’s 27 years of workers’ compensation experience and his team’s speedy service combine to get clients the results they need. To schedule a free consultation, visit Osterbauer Law Firm online or call Joe’s office at (612) 334-3434.
