Firefighters: hurt at work?
Heavy gear, lifting and carrying, ladder work and unpredictable conditions make back and shoulder injuries common. Many fire departments manage injury claims through their own programs.
Common injuries for firefighters
- Back injuries from lifting equipment and people
- Shoulder injuries from hose and ladder work
- Knee injuries on stairs and uneven ground
- Strains from training exercises
An injury that builds up over time from the same movements is usually treated as a work injury too, not only a single accident.
What workers' compensation usually covers
Workers' compensation is insurance your employer carries. When you are hurt doing your job, it generally pays for the medical care you need to recover, and usually part of your wages while you cannot work. In most cases you should not be charged copays or deductibles for approved care.
- Doctor visits, scans and tests
- Physical therapy and other treatment
- Pain injections, such as epidural steroid injections
- Surgery, when it is medically needed
What to do after a work injury
Tell your employer as soon as you can. Every state sets its own deadline for reporting a work injury, and some are short.
Rules on choosing your own doctor differ from state to state. Your employer's workers' compensation insurer can confirm the rules where you work.
Keep a note of when and how it happened, who you told, and any doctor visits. Rules have details and exceptions, so your state's workers' compensation agency can confirm what applies to you.
Pain injections and surgery
Many work injuries improve with therapy. When pain continues, specialists may recommend injections, which deliver medication close to the source of the pain, or surgery for problems such as a damaged disc. Insurers usually want to see that other treatment was tried first, and a specialist clinic will guide you through that.