You clock out after another grueling day, but the pain doesn't stop when you leave work. Your back throbs from years of repetitive lifting, or perhaps you're dealing with debilitating headaches following a job-related head injury. Unlike visible wounds, invisible injuries pose unique challenges in Ohio workers' compensation claims.
But at Monast Law Office in Columbus, we can help—and we won’t let you give up on the benefits you deserve. Our proven approach emphasizes building comprehensive medical records and expert testimony that dispel skepticism about non-visible conditions. We collaborate with you to present a compelling case to the Ohio Bureau of Workers' Compensation (BWC).
What Qualifies as an Invisible Injury Under Ohio Workers' Compensation
The BWC recognizes various types of invisible injuries that can be just as disabling as other medical issues. These conditions affect your ability to work, even if others may not immediately recognize your struggles.
Chronic Pain Conditions
These represent the most common invisible injuries in Ohio workers' compensation cases. Many people experience this due to repetitive motions, workplace accidents, complex regional pain syndrome, or gradual wear from job duties. The BWC acknowledges chronic pain as genuinely disabling when it hinders job performance.
Nerve Damage and Compression Injuries
Nerve damage includes conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, sciatica, and peripheral neuropathy. These injuries can lead to numbness, tingling, weakness, or burning sensations, which disrupt work activities. Nerve damage can develop gradually or result from specific workplace incidents.
Cognitive Difficulties From Brain Injuries
Cognitive difficulties resulting from traumatic brain injuries often lead to memory problems, concentration issues, and processing delays. These symptoms significantly impair mental tasks essential for many jobs. The BWC acknowledges cognitive impairments as compensable when they arise from workplace injuries.
Mental and Emotional Injuries
Mental and emotional injuries such as PTSD, depression, and anxiety may develop following workplace trauma. Unfortunately, obtaining workers' compensation benefits for psychological conditions is challenging, even when they result from sudden workplace events or are secondary medical issues related to physical injuries. At Monast Law Office, we do everything possible to assist you in pursuing compensation for holistic health.
Proving Invisible Injuries: Common Challenges
The gradual onset of many non-visible injuries makes it difficult to determine when conditions developed. For example, unlike acute injuries with precise incident dates, repetitive motion stress can develop over months, making work-relatedness harder to prove.
Detailed medical documentation is crucial, as standard tests may not capture the full extent of your condition. Chronic pain and cognitive difficulties often require specialized evaluations that not all providers routinely perform.
Skepticism from claims personnel can impact your case. Some BWC staff may question conditions they cannot see or measure through standard tests. This doubt often results in denied claims or requests for extensive additional documentation.
How Monast Law Office Supports Your Fight for Chronic Pain Workers’ Comp and Other Invisible Injuries
The difference between claim approval and denial often comes hinges on the quality of presentation and evidence. Jim Monast employs a multi-faceted approach that addresses every aspect of invisible injury documentation required by the system. Here’s what our legal team provides.
- Medical evidence strategy. We coordinate with your treating physicians to ensure accurate documentation of symptoms and functional limitations. If needed, we can assist you in arranging independent medical examinations with specialists who are familiar with BWC requirements, including neuropsychological testing for cognitive injuries and pain management evaluations for chronic conditions.
- Comprehensive documentation. We will collaborate to organize essential evidence by documenting daily symptoms, preserving workplace safety reports and job descriptions, and gathering witness statements from coworkers and supervisors who have observed changes in your performance or behavior.
- BWC requirements compliance. Jim and the team ensure your claim meets all BWC documentation standards, including comprehensive medical histories that establish the timeline of your condition, diagnostic testing results that provide objective evidence, and treating physician opinions that clearly articulate work-relatedness and functional limitations.
- Strategic case building. We also obtain functional capacity evaluations and job analysis reports that demonstrate how your invisible injury prevents you from performing specific job duties. This vocational evidence highlights the practical impact on your earning capacity and strengthens your claim.
Creating a winning case for non-visible workplace injuries demands specialized knowledge of BWC evaluation processes. Jim combines more than 39 years’ legal experience with a comprehensive medical understanding to create compelling arguments that withstand scrutiny. We truly want you to feel like you have a partner in this process to make things easier.
