Nurses play a central role in providing quality, compassionate healthcare to patients in a variety of medical settings. Doctor’s offices, hospitals, emergency medical clinics, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers all depend on registered nurses and nurse practitioners to take on increasing amounts of responsibility for patient care.
Unfortunately, providing for their patients’ health and safety can end up leaving many nurses at risk themselves. Moving patients, handling needles, and responding to emergencies all place nurses and other healthcare workers at a higher injury rate than other professions. Yet many are hesitant to file a workers’ compensation claim after an injury on the job.
Some incorrectly assume that their injuries “come with the territory”. The truth is, any injury or illness sustained while performing work duties may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.
The Hidden Dangers of Nursing
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 1 in 5 on-the-job injuries occur among healthcare workers, higher than in all other professions. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) reports that hospitals record more work-related injuries and illnesses that cause employees to miss work each year than construction or manufacturing.
Why Nurses Don’t Always Report Injuries
Despite the dangers, many nurses downplay their own pain or are discouraged from reporting injuries. OSHA found that 24% of nurses change shifts or take sick leave to recover from an unreported injury, and 8 out of 10 nurses say they frequently work with musculoskeletal pain. As a healthcare worker, you should file a workers’ compensation claim for the sake of your own health, as well as the betterment of your hospital and patients.
Types of Injuries in the Nursing Field
Nurses and nursing assistants in particular rank highest in terms of accidental injury rates. The most common types of injuries among nurses include the following:
Slips, Trips, and Falls: These types of accidental injuries are typically due to wet or slippery floors, obstacles and obstructions along walkways, and hazards such as improper lighting or lack of handrails on steps. Specific injuries may include:
- Head injuries
- Back injuries
- Spinal cord injuries
- Fractures and sprains
- Cuts and lacerations
For example, we secured a $310,000 settlement for a Summerville nurse who injured her back and right knee in a workplace fall.
Patient Handling: Patient handling is one of the leading causes of injury for nursing professionals. Moving, lifting, and transporting patients can result in accidental injuries due to overexertion. Nurses also face the risk of infections and illnesses caused by needle sticks, exposure to fluids, breathing in airborne particles, or exposure to environmental hazards, such as radiation and hazardous waste. Common injuries that occur in the course of providing patient care include:
- Slipped or ruptured disks
- Joint injuries
- Muscle sprains and strains
- Exposure to viral and bacterial infections, including HIV, hepatitis, and hemorrhagic fevers
- Radiation sickness and various cancers resulting from exposure to harmful substances
We’ve represented several nurses who were injured while assisting patients, including:
- $275,000 settlement for a nurse who suffered a herniated C4-C5 disc, thoracic back pain, and a T8-9 disc protrusion while moving a patient.
- $246,000 settlement for a Myrtle Beach nurse who hurt his back moving a patient.
- $190,000 settlement for a nurse who injured her back helping a patient out of a recliner.
- $150,000 settlement for a nurse who injured her neck while turning a patient.
Workplace Violence: Patients who are in pain, disoriented, or under the influence can react violently to efforts to provide treatment, as can patients with mental or emotional problems. Distraught family members of patients can also become aggressive and violent and pose a threat to workers. Specific injuries due to workplace violence include:
- Bruises, cuts, and lacerations
- Muscle strains and sprains
- Fractured wrists and ribs
- Gunshots or stab wounds
- Head injuries
- Neck and back injuries
One such case involved a $50,000 settlement for a nursing aide who was attacked by a patient, injuring her right shoulder, back, ad neck, and requiring extensive physical therapy.
In addition to the above, heavy workloads, improper scheduling, and lack of support services can take a heavy physical and emotional toll on nurses.
The high demands placed on medical professionals can leave them open to depression and anxiety, as well as sleep and eating disorders. Feeling “burnt out” is common. According to the American Nursing Association (ANA), symptoms of nurse burnout include extreme exhaustion, feeling alienated from nursing activities, and suffering from reduced performance on the job.
Why Filing a Worker’s Comp Claim Matters
If you are a nurse, nursing assistant, or other healthcare professional who has been injured on the job in South Carolina, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits that can cover your medical expenses and provide partial wage replacement and ongoing disability payments for the injuries you suffered on the job, regardless of who was at fault.
Filing a workers’ compensation claim protects both your health and your livelihood. Here’s why it matters:
- High medical costs: The average cost of a workers’ compensation claim in 2023 (the most recent year for which data is available) was $47,316. Without filing a claim, nurses may be covering those expenses out of pocket.
- Patient Safety: Nurses who are fatigued or stressed due to injuries and illnesses have a higher risk of causing medication errors and patient infections (potentially leading to legal liability).
- Workplace safety: When nurses struggle or are unable to move patients due to stress injuries, they put the patients – and themselves – at further risk of injury.
- Better patient outcomes: Patient satisfaction rates are higher in hospitals where staff are not dissatisfied with their health benefits, burnt out from overwork, or working through injuries.
Third-Party Lawsuit Option
If a nurse is injured by a violent patient or visitor, they may have grounds for a personal injury lawsuit in addition to a workers’ compensation claim, according to South Carolina Code of Laws, Section 15-3-530(5). Damages awarded in these types of cases include compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering.
Employer Responsibilities and Legal Protections
Despite the well-documented risks of nursing, many hospitals still fall short when it comes to protecting their staff. An investigation on nursing injuries conducted by National Public Radio (NPR) found that hospital administrators rank nursing injuries low on their list of priorities. While hospital executives acknowledge the risks faced by nursing staff, few have taken meaningful steps to address them.
The NPR report highlighted a particularly serious issue: musculoskeletal injuries caused by lifting and moving patients. According to statistics by the Department of Labor, nurses suffer more than 35,000 back and other musculoskeletal injuries per year – more than in any other profession. Even with training in proper lifting techniques, no amount of education can prepare nurses for the physical strain of daily patient handling, especially at facilities that lack equipment or mechanical aids.
As both inpatient and outpatient care demands grow, nurses are lifting and repositioning higher numbers of patients more frequently. Rising obesity rates among Americans only compound the problem. In many hospitals, a single nurse may need to help a 200-300-pound patient in and out of bed multiple times a day, often without adequate assistance. When staffing levels are low and patient loads are high, these physical demands quickly lead to fatigue and injury.
While hospital executives have largely failed to prioritize these safety concerns, the American Nursing Association (ANA) has taken action. Through its Handle with Care campaign, the ANA raises awareness about the occupational hazards nurses face and promotes safe patient-handling practices to prevent musculoskeletal injuries such as back sprains and slipped disks.
How Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers Help Injured Nurses
Unfortunately, nearly half of all workers’ compensation claims are initially denied, and the healthcare industry is notorious for pushing back against employee claims. At Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers, our attorneys understand the unique challenges nurses face. We help injured healthcare workers file claims, appeal denials, and fight for the full benefits they deserve under South Carolina law.
We know that nurses devote their lives to caring for others. When they’re injured, they deserve the same care, respect, and advocacy they give their patients every day.
Contact Joye Law Firm Injury Lawyers today to learn your rights and start your recovery process with the support of experienced workers’ compensation attorneys who will stand by your side.
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