Nurses face some of the highest workplace injury rates in Pennsylvania. Whether working in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, clinics, or home healthcare settings, nurses are regularly exposed to heavy lifting, patient handling, workplace violence, infectious diseases, and long hours on their feet.
At Stern & Cohen, we represent registered nurses (RN), licensed practical nurses (LPN), certified nursing assistants (CNA), travel nurses, home health nurses, and other healthcare professionals who have been injured at work. If you suffered a nursing injury while performing your job duties, our Pennsylvania workers’ compensation attorneys are ready to help.
Common Causes of Nurse Injuries
Nursing is physically and emotionally demanding work. Many injuries occur while caring for patients, moving equipment, or responding to emergencies.
Common causes of nurse injuries include:
- Lifting, transferring, and repositioning patients
- Slip and fall accidents
- Wet floors and workplace hazards
- Repetitive lifting and overexertion
- Workplace violence from patients or visitors
- Needle stick and sharps injuries
- Exposure to infectious diseases
- Falls while assisting patients
- Motor vehicle accidents for home health nurses
- Repetitive stress injuries from daily patient care
Nurses often continue working through pain, causing minor injuries to develop into serious medical conditions over time.
Common Nursing Injuries
Because nurses perform physically demanding tasks throughout their shifts, injuries can affect nearly every part of the body.
Common nurse injuries include:
- Back injuries
- Neck injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Rotator cuff tears
- Knee injuries
- Herniated discs
- Wrist and hand injuries
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Slip and fall injuries
- Concussions and head injuries
- PTSD and psychological injuries after workplace violence
- Infectious disease exposure
Many nurses require physical therapy, injections, surgery, or extended medical treatment before they can safely return to work.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Injured Nurses
Pennsylvania workers’ compensation benefits may be available if you were injured while performing nursing duties.
Workers’ compensation benefits may cover:
- Medical treatment
- Surgery and hospital bills
- Physical therapy and rehabilitation
- Prescription medications
- Wage-loss benefits
- Benefits for occupational illnesses and disease exposure
- Workers’ compensation settlements
Whether your injury occurred suddenly or developed over time from repetitive patient care activities, you may qualify for benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can nurses receive workers’ compensation for back injuries?
Yes. Back injuries are among the most common nursing injuries. Workers’ compensation may cover medical treatment, lost wages, and other benefits if the injury occurred while performing nursing duties.
Can a nurse receive workers’ compensation after being assaulted by a patient?
Yes. Workplace violence injuries, including physical injuries and psychological conditions such as PTSD, may qualify for workers’ compensation benefits when they arise out of employment.
Can home health nurses receive workers’ compensation for car accidents?
Yes. If a home health nurse is injured while traveling between patient visits or performing job-related travel, workers’ compensation benefits may be available. In some cases, a separate third-party claim may also exist against the at-fault driver.
Contact a Pennsylvania Hospital Worker Injury Lawyer
Nursing injuries can affect your career, health, and financial stability. At Stern & Cohen, we help injured nurses throughout Pennsylvania pursue the workers’ compensation benefits they deserve.
If you were injured while working as a nurse, CNA, LPN, RN, travel nurse, or home health nurse, contact Stern & Cohen today for a free consultation.