Internal Injuries

The Massachusetts disability attorneys at Kantrovitz & Associates have over 20 years of experience representing injured workers in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. By dedicating our practice to workers’ compensation law, we have honed the skills and expertise required to prove complex cases. Our experience with the insurers and judges evaluating your claim gives you an edge in recovering benefits and set us apart from other law firms. Trust our lawyers to protect your rights after a workplace injury.

Internal Injuries

Internal injuries can look harmless, but are one of the most serious consequences of trauma. Often hidden, internal bleeding may be delayed for hours or days after an accident. Blunt trauma from colliding with an object may crush or tear blood vessels. Internal injury also occurs when an object penetrates the body. The workplace is often full of dangers that can cause trauma and lead to internal bleeding. These may include:

• Car accidents
• Falling objects
• Puncture wounds
• Crushing injuries
• Chest, heart trauma
• Closed head injuries
• Electrical plugs, wires
• Construction materials
• Collisions with machinery

Internal injuries refer to any damage to the body’s organs or blood vessels, including arteries, veins, and capillaries. The most serious injuries may cause bleeding in the head, around the lungs, and near the heart. Internal bleeding is serious because the rapid loss of blood to body parts can cause organs to fail. Immediate medical care is required to prevent toxicity or shock.

Recognizing Internal Injuries

Over one-fourth of American workers suffer workplace injuries, including internal injuries that they never report. Because many cases of internal bleeding do not seem serious, workers often ignore the symptoms until it is too late. It is therefore important to know when a job-related accident causes an internal injury requiring emergency care. Symptoms may include:

• Bruises
• Fainting
• Dizziness
• Headache
• Chest pain
• Rapid pulse
• Open wounds
• Shallow breath
• Abdominal pain
• Light-headedness
• Pale, clammy skin
• Lost consciousness
• Confusion, weakness

Workers may not be able to identify internal injuries right away, but may experience external bleeding through a natural body opening. Unexplained bleeding, swelling, or any of the symptoms above can indicate an internal work-related injury for which workers’ compensation benefits may be available.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Massachusetts workers are entitled to payment for internal injuries sustained on the job. The compensation is part of an insurance system paid for by employers regardless of fault. Internal injuries that prevent workers from returning to the same or similar employment for over five days may require the payment of various workers’ compensation benefits, including coverage for:

• Partial disability
• Medical expenses
• Surgical procedures
• Lost sense, function
• Loss of work income
• Prescription medication
• Vocational rehabilitation

Injured workers receive weekly cash benefits calculated at 60% of their gross average weekly wage. Payments continue until the internal injury heals, allowing a return to work. When a serious injury prevents employment in the same or a similar job, workers’ compensation benefits may include modification of prior job duties or retraining in another field.

Recovering Benefits the First Time

If your internal injury is work-related, the Massachusetts workers’ compensation lawyers at Kantrovitz & Associates can help you obtain benefits the first time. Many applicants are denied when they try to file claims themselves, never understanding the insurance companies and administrative process they face. With over 20 years in the field, we know the elements of a successful claim. To increase your odds of timely payment of benefits, call 800-367-0871 for a free consultation or contact us online.