Most employees working for Kroger never get injured but on occasions accidents do take place that cause a hurt back.
Some of the back injuries are so serious that the victim cannot carry out work duties and must seek medical treatment and needs time off work to recover.
Fortunately, most workplaces like Kroger should cover their workers for workers’ compensation which relieves the financial burden of the inability to work and also pays for medical treatment.
What Are the Causes of a Hurt Back at Work?
Back pain from a hurt back can take place for a number of reasons which could include:
- slipping and falling on a hazard anywhere in a Kroger causing you to fall either forwards or backwards leading to debilitating hurt back;
- repetitive motions such as constantly unloading goods from delivery trucks;
- poor back support when driving a Kroger delivery truck 24/7;
- a package tumbling off a storage shelf and hitting your back in a Kroger store room
How Hurting Your Back Could Affect Your Job at Kroger
If you hurt your back, it will be most likely that you cannot return to work until you have fully recovered.
You probably would not be able to lift heavy boxes, which is one of the tasks most commonly associated with working for a large grocery store.
In fact, depending on your back pain, you may even have difficulty driving a delivery vehicle for Kroger.
What to Do if You Hurt Your Back at Work?
The most important action to take if you have suffered a back injury while working at Kroger is to get your injury diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.
Some employers ask injured employees to go to their own medical provider and any follow up treatment will be provided by the employer’s appointed physician.
You should know your rights on this otherwise you may find you are unable to include your medical treatment in your workers’ compensation claim.
The next step is to inform your work supervisor preferably in writing, so the proof is there if you need it.
Some employers set a time limit for reporting workplace accidents which could be as little as 24 hours from the time of the accident.
If you do not stick to this deadline you may have your workers’ compensation claim denied.
The final step is actually filing the workers’ compensation claim itself.
Some more proactive employers will provide you with the WC claim form which you will need to complete.
You will be asked to fill in the following details:
- your full name;
- your employee position;
- the date of the accident;
- the exact place of the accident;
- what caused the accident;
- names of any other employee involved in the accident.
*Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Kroger, or any other company, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
