Have you been injured on the job? Have you suffered a serious injury to your neck or back as the result of an accident?
Regardless of the cause of the accident or who is at fault, you might be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. It is critical to consult with an experienced Iowa workers’ compensation lawyer before signing or agreeing to anything else.
You have the right to obtain proper medical care and treatment and to consult with an attorney.
At Loney & Schueller, we offer our clients compassionate and personalized counsel. We will take the time to listen to your specific situation and help you get the assistance you need for recovery. Your maximum compensation is important to your near-term recovery and to your long-term well-being. We are experienced attorneys and we will fight aggressively for the full compensation and benefits you are entitled to from the insurance company.
Contact us online or call us at 1-515-225-4485 to schedule a free initial consultation with a Des Moines workers’ compensation attorney. Our West Des Moines law office is proud to serve clients from Waterloo, Ames, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Council Bluffs, Iowa City, Davenport, Fort Dodge, Cedar Falls, and throughout Iowa. All cases are represented on a contingency fee basis. If we don’t obtain compensation in your case, you pay no attorney’s fees.
We understand that every workers’ compensation claim is different. However, back and neck injuries are almost always debilitating and affect an injured worker’s life in more ways than imaginable. Whether you were injured in a factory, in a warehouse, while driving a truck or in a health care environment, we know how to pursue the compensation you deserve and negotiate effectively for your best possible outcome.
Our attorneys are familiar with handling several types of injuries, including:
Some employers attempt to fire workers who have been injured on the job. This is illegal, and you should seek professional legal representation right away. Medical care and the impact of serious injury are costly and potentially long-term conditions. You deserve fair compensation.
Iowa’s workers’ compensation program covers employees who suffer injuries arising out of and in the course of their job duties. Full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary workers are all covered as long as they’re classified as employees rather than independent contractors. Additionally, the law excludes limited liability company members, partners, and proprietors from the benefits program. If you’re paid as a contractor, hired through another company, or misclassified, the rules can quickly become confusing. Because your coverage depends on your work relationship and the circumstances of your injury, it’s worth getting legal guidance before assuming you don’t qualify for workers’ comp benefits.
If you’re a covered employee, the law entitles you to specific benefits after a workplace back or neck injury, as well as to challenge denied benefits, delayed treatment, or decisions that fail to reflect the seriousness of your injury. A West Des Moines workplace back and neck injury attorney from our firm can help you understand whether you’re covered and the scope of the benefits you may be entitled to.
When you sustain a back or neck injury at your job, you need to take immediate steps to properly report and document the injury accident. What you do in the aftermath can significantly affect your process of filing a workers’ comp claim. Here’s what to do:
Suffering a workplace back or neck injury can create problems for you when it comes to seeking medical care and securing the income you need. You’re likely concerned not just about the immediate impact of the injury but also about its long-term implications. What will you do if it limits your ability to work in the future?
The workplace injury attorneys at the firm of Loney & Schueller can help you understand your rights and options under Iowa’s workers’ comp program. Our lawyers will thoroughly review your case and gather evidence to support your claim. We can also fight on your behalf if your employer or its insurer delays, reduces, or denies your benefits. With informed legal guidance, you’ll be better equipped to make informed decisions about your claim while staying focused on your treatment and recovery.
Loney & Schueller supports injured workers from communities throughout Iowa from our law office in West Des Moines, including Waterloo, Ames, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Council Bluffs, Iowa City, Davenport, Fort Dodge, and Cedar Falls. Contact us online or call us at 1-515-225-4485 to schedule a free consultation with an Iowa workers’ compensation back and neck injury lawyer.
Iowa workers who are dealing with significant back and neck injuries after on-the-job accidents often come to Loney & Schueller with questions about their rights and the process of pursuing a workers’ compensation claim. If you’re in this situation, we know it’s probably a confusing time. Our West Des Moines work injury law office can guide you through your next steps, and that means answering your questions and addressing your concerns. Below are some of the questions our attorneys receive most often – please don’t hesitate to reach out with additional questions of your own.
If workers’ comp covers your back or neck injury, you may be entitled to benefits that cover authorized medical care, wage loss, and permanent impairment. Workers’ comp medical benefits cover treatment that’s both reasonable and related to the work injury. Wage loss benefits apply whether you’re completely off work, working fewer hours, or earning less because of your restrictions. The goal is to provide 80 percent of your average weekly earnings after taxes.
If your injury causes lasting damage, you may also qualify for permanent disability benefits. The amount and duration of disability benefits typically depend on the body part that sustained the injury. The back and neck are not included on the list of scheduled member injuries, and are treated instead as industrial disabilities, or disabilities of the body as a whole. This affects how workers’ comp treats disability benefits payments, as disabilities of the body as a whole typically result in higher benefit payments due to their effect on a person’s ability to earn a living.
Iowa workers’ compensation cases involve employer-authorized care, which means your employer or its insurance carrier has the right to choose the doctor who will treat you. However, if you’re unhappy with the care you’re receiving, you may be able to seek a second opinion through the workers’ compensation process. Iowa rules allow an injured worker to pursue alternate medical care when there’s a dispute about the treatment they’re getting.
Covered treatment depends on the injury and what the authorized provider recommends based on their medical findings. For a back or neck injury, your covered treatment may include some combination of doctor visits, diagnostic imaging, medication, physical therapy, injections, or surgery when appropriate. The overarching issue is that the treatment must be reasonable, necessary, and connected to your workplace injury.
Yes, you may still have a valid workers’ comp claim even if your doctor releases you to light duty or places limits on what you can do. If you earn less because of your restrictions, you may qualify for temporary partial disability benefits. If your employer cannot offer work within your restrictions, you may be entitled to other wage benefits.
You still have the right to pursue a claim if your employer disputes what happened. Employers and insurers sometimes dispute back and neck injuries because their symptoms may appear gradually, worsen over time, or involve a worker’s prior medical history. If you’ve run into a dispute regarding the source of your injury, an experienced workers’ comp attorney from Loney & Schueller can gather medical records, witness statements, incident reports, job-duty evidence, and other evidence to support your claim.
You should contact a West Des Moines work injury lawyer if your employer or its insurance company denies your claim, delays your treatment, or stops paying your benefits, or if your doctor sends you back to work before you feel able to return. Additionally, if you’ve been offered a settlement or received a rating for permanent impairment, don’t accept these results without first reaching out to a lawyer.
If you have further questions, don’t hesitate to contact our law firm.
Contact us online, or call us at 1-515-225-4485 to schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced Des Moines personal injury attorney. We handle injury cases on a contingency fee basis, which means there are no attorney’s fees unless we are able to recover compensation on your behalf.
Our law office is conveniently located at 50th St. and I-235 in West Des Moines. We have successfully represented thousands of personal injury and Iowa workers’ compensation clients. Call 1-515-225-4485 for a free consultation. You never pay attorneys’ fees until we win and recover for all of your losses either in a favorable settlement or trial verdict.
