Limited to Light Work

Limited to Light Work

Alabama Workers Compensation Lawyers Limited to Light Work:  You were hurt at work, did everything the company doctor told you to do, and now the doctor has stated that you have reached maximum medical improvement (mmi); the doctor also states that as a result of your job injury, you are now limited to light duty work.  What exactly does this mean?

This means that the permanent injury you sustained is not a minor issue and from now on light duty work is the most you should attempt to perform on a sustained basis.  According to the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, Light work is defined as follows: work which requires exerting up to 20 pounds of force occasionally (1/3 of the time), and/or up to 10 pounds of force frequently (2/3 of the time) and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects  Even if the weight lifted may only be a small amount, a job will be considered light duty  when (i) it requires walking or standing a significant amount or (ii) when it requires sitting most of the time but also includes using arm or leg controls and/or (iii) when the job requires working at a production rate.

A decent percentage of jobs available are classified light or less, but if the work you have performed prior to your work injury was classified as medium or heavy work, a light work restriction may leave you without a job and wondering what to do next.  In such a situation, if your injury was to a non-scheduled body part, you would then be entitled to vocational consideration-which takes into account your loss of access to jobs in the regional economy given your restrictions, job history, age and education.

Moreover, if you are 60 or older, a limit of light duty work could entitle you to Social Security Disability benefits if your restrictions prevent you from returning to your previous jobs and some vocational adjustment is called for in any new job.

If you have suffered a work injury and you have questions about your right to Alabama workers’ compensation benefits, don’t hesitate to contact Powell and Denny and speak with one of the experienced workers compensation lawyers and schedule a free consultation and let us see if we can help.  Appointments are available in person, or virtually through Zoom for your convenience from wherever you live.

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Offices in Birmingham, AL and Huntsville, AL

 

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Powell and Denny have been selected as one of the Best Law Firms by U.S. News and World Report for each of the last 9 years, have been selected as one of Birmingham’s Top Lawyers by B-Metro Magazine for the last 5 years, have been selected by The National Advocates as one of the Top 20 Workers’ Compensation Firms (plaintiffs) and Powell and Denny, P.C.-has been selected as one of the “Best of the Best” law firms by The American Registry.

Mr. Denny is AV rated by Martindale Hubbard (the highest rating possible) and Mr. Powell has been rated as Superior by The National Registry

+ Powell and Denny have successfully represented injured workers from Birmingham, Huntsville, Florence, Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia, Athens, Decatur, Town Creek Ardmore, Hartselle, Madison, Toney, Scottsboro, Ft. Payne, New Hope, Guntersville, Albertville, Boaz, Ashville, Anniston, Gadsden, Cullman, Jasper, Gardendale, Morris, Kimberly, Centerpoint, Leeds, Tarrant City, Fairfield, Hueytown, Bessemer, Adger, Tuscaloosa, Cordova, Alabaster, Pelham, Harpersville, Opelika, Phenix City, Montgomery, Clanton, Calera, Enterprise, Monroeville, Mobile, Evergreen, Alabaster, Pelham, Trussville and towns and cities in between.

 

 

Limited to Light Work