A neck or back injury can change your life in an instant. Whether you were hurt lifting heavy materials, involved in a workplace fall or developed pain after years of repetitive work, these injuries can make it difficult to earn a living and support your family. At Hedberg & Boulton, P.C., our Central Iowa workers’ compensation attorneys help injured workers pursue the benefits they need after serious neck and back injuries.
If your injury happened while working in Des Moines, Central Iowa or elsewhere in Iowa, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Our law firm has decades of experience representing injured workers—not employers—and we understand the physical, financial and emotional challenges that often follow a serious spinal injury. Our lawyers are here to explain your options, protect your rights and help you move forward.
Neck and back injuries are among the most common workplace injuries in Iowa. They affect employees in physically demanding industries as well as workers who spend most of the day behind a desk. While some injuries happen because of a single accident, others develop gradually after months or years of repetitive work.
Common causes of workplace neck and back injuries include:
Some injuries happen immediately, while others develop slowly. Our attorneys regularly help workers whose injuries resulted from both traumatic accidents and cumulative workplace injuries that developed over time.
Almost any employee can suffer a neck or back injury. However, some occupations place workers at greater risk because of the physical demands of the job.
Construction workers frequently lift heavy materials, climb ladders, operate machinery and work at heights. These conditions increase the risk of herniated discs, fractures and spinal injuries.
Employees in warehouses and manufacturing facilities often perform repetitive lifting, pushing, pulling and carrying throughout the workday. Over time, these motions can lead to chronic neck and back problems even without one specific accident.
Long hours of sitting, loading freight and repeated climbing into and out of vehicles place significant stress on the spine. Vehicle collisions while working can also cause severe neck injuries, including whiplash.
Nurses, nursing assistants and caregivers routinely lift and reposition patients. Even with proper training, these tasks place considerable strain on the back, shoulders and neck.
Office workers may not face heavy lifting, but poor posture, repetitive computer work and improperly adjusted workstations can contribute to chronic neck pain, back pain and repetitive stress injuries.
Every neck and back injury affects workers differently. Some conditions improve with conservative treatment, while others require surgery or result in permanent work restrictions.
Discs act as cushions between the bones of the spine. When a disc bulges or ruptures, it may place pressure on nearby nerves, causing pain, numbness and weakness.
Sprains and strains are among the most common workplace injuries. Although they may appear minor initially, severe soft tissue injuries can require months of treatment and physical therapy.
Pinched nerves can create pain that radiates into the shoulders, arms or legs. Workers may also experience numbness, tingling or reduced strength that interferes with job performance.
Many workers have age-related changes in their spine before an injury occurs. Repetitive lifting or a workplace accident can substantially worsen those conditions, creating a valid workers’ compensation claim.
The most severe workplace accidents can damage the spinal cord and lead to permanent disability or paralysis. These catastrophic injuries often require lifelong medical care and dramatically affect a worker’s earning capacity.
Insurance companies frequently deny neck and back claims by pointing to a previous injury or degenerative condition. However, having a preexisting condition does not automatically prevent you from receiving workers’ compensation benefits.
If your job substantially aggravated an existing neck or back condition, Iowa law may still allow compensation. These cases often require careful medical evidence showing how your work activities worsened your condition beyond its normal progression.
Our lawyers regularly help workers whose claims have been challenged because of arthritis, degenerative disc disease or prior back injuries.
Medical evidence plays an important role in every neck and back injury claim. Insurance companies often question whether the injury is work-related or whether your symptoms are as serious as you describe.
Helpful evidence may include:
Our attorneys work with injured workers to organize medical documentation and present a complete picture of how the injury affects daily life and the ability to work.
Workers suffering qualifying injuries may receive benefits through Iowa’s workers’ compensation system.
Workers’ compensation may pay for authorized medical treatment, including physician visits, imaging, medications, surgery, rehabilitation and other necessary care.
If your injury prevents you from working while you recover, temporary disability benefits may replace part of your lost income.
After reaching maximum medical improvement, some workers continue to experience permanent impairment. Depending on your condition, you may qualify for permanent disability benefits.
If you cannot return to your previous occupation because of permanent restrictions, vocational rehabilitation services may help you prepare for different work.
Our attorneys also help clients understand workers’ compensation benefits, disability ratings and how benefit calculations affect long-term financial recovery.
Returning to work after a neck or back injury is not always simple. Some workers recover fully, while others must return with permanent lifting restrictions or reduced physical abilities.
Your employer may offer light-duty work while you recover. Before accepting any position, you should understand how the work compares to your medical restrictions and how it may affect your workers’ compensation benefits.
If you cannot safely perform your previous job, our attorneys can explain your legal options and help protect your right to continued benefits.
Protecting your claim begins immediately after an injury. Iowa generally requires your employer to receive notice or have knowledge of the injury within 90 days, although cumulative injuries may involve different timing considerations.
To strengthen your claim, consider:
A denied workers’ compensation claim does not necessarily end your case. Insurance companies deny claims for many reasons, including disputes over medical causation, delayed reporting, preexisting conditions or disagreements about treatment.
Our attorneys help workers appeal denied claims, gather additional medical evidence and challenge insurance company decisions when appropriate. We also evaluate whether a worker may have related legal issues, such as retaliation for reporting a workplace injury.
Yes. Many neck and back injuries develop gradually through repetitive work activities. These cumulative injuries may still qualify for workers’ compensation benefits.
A preexisting condition does not automatically prevent recovery. If your work substantially worsened your condition, you may still have a valid workers’ compensation claim.
No. Workers’ compensation benefits are not limited to workers who require surgery. Many claims involve physical therapy, medication, injections or other forms of treatment.
The length of benefits depends on your medical condition, your work status and whether you have reached maximum medical improvement. Some workers receive temporary benefits, while others qualify for permanent disability benefits.
Although you are not required to have an attorney, legal representation can be especially valuable when your claim is denied, your injury is serious or the insurance company disputes your medical treatment or disability rating.
If you suffered a work-related neck or back injury, you do not have to navigate Iowa’s workers’ compensation system alone. Hedberg & Boulton, P.C. represents injured workers throughout Des Moines, Central Iowa and communities across the state.
Our law firm will answer your questions, explain your options and help you pursue the benefits available under Iowa law. To schedule a consultation, send us a message online.