Returning to Work After a St. Louis Workplace Injury

Returning to work after an injury is usually a positive experience. You get to see your coworkers again, fill your schedule, and enjoy more money than you were receiving while on workers’ compensation. Unfortunately, going back to work can go wrong in a variety of ways. Below, we detail 5 tips to follow when returning to work after an injury.

Do Not Go Back Too Early

Whether it be from yourself or your employer, you may feel pressure to get back to work as soon as possible. While this may be tempting, it is ultimately a bad decision. Not only will going back early cause unneeded discomfort, but you will also be at risk of sustaining another injury. To avoid this scenario, be honest about your condition and work with a doctor that understands what you’re feeling.

Understand Your Physical Restrictions

Depending on the nature of your damages, you may have limited abilities when you go back to work. This often means working fewer hours, more slowly, or on entirely different tasks. Upon returning, you may have a list of restrictions from your doctor. What you should do is review that list, understand it, follow it, and perhaps even keep a copy of it onhand while at work.

Listen to Your Body

Between injury and inactivity, your body likely will not be ready to go back to work. When you return to your company, there will be an adjustment period where you get back in shape and start to understand what you can and can’t do. At this point, it is critical that you listen to your body. If you feel pain or discomfort, you should always stop and take stock of the situation. Don’t try to “tough it out” and suffer unnecessary pain.

Don’t Be Afraid of Confrontation

There may be times when your employer does not respect your limitations and asks you to complete a task you cannot handle. Alternatively, they may not know what your issues are and ask you to do something by accident. Either way, you cannot be afraid of confronting them. Your health comes first, so be sure to set your limits with your employer and don’t let them cross any lines.

Document Any Employer Violations

Sometimes, a company is unfair to workers after they come back. This can happen for many reasons, but the top one is them being angry about having to pay you for your damages. The result can be verbal abuse, asking you to work beyond your limitations, or threatening termination. If any of these things happen to you, do your best to document them. Doing so will give you evidence that you may need later on.

The vast majority of injured workers are thrilled to go back to work after their health returns. Doing so occasionally leads to adverse outcomes, though. Follow the tips on this list and you will most likely avoid those painful scenarios.

Law Office of James M. Hoffmann

2001 S Hanley Rd #325

St. Louis, MO

63144

Phone: (314) 361-4300