Mossman Law OfficeBoise SSDI Attorney | Idaho Workers Compensation Claims Lawyer | Twin Falls Caldwell ID2026-11-05T00:04:44Zhttps://www.mossmanlaw.us/feed/atom/WordPress/wp-content/uploads/sites/1605408/2026/04/cropped-mossman_law_site_icon-32x32.pngOn Behalf of Mossman Law Office<![CDATA[Blunt-force trauma and internal injuries in the workplace]]>https://www.mossmanlaw.us/?p=490522026-11-05T00:04:44Z2026-11-05T00:04:44ZHow workplace accidents cause internal injuries
Any sudden impact can compress or damage the victim’s organs. Some of the most common workplace accidents involving blunt-force trauma include:
Falls from ladders, scaffolding or elevated platforms
Being struck by falling tools, materials or equipment
Forklift accidents and other workplace vehicle collisions
Being crushed or pinned between heavy objects
Machinery accidents involving compression
These accidents can damage the victim’s liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs and other organs. Broken ribs may also puncture a lung or pierce other parts of their body, leading to sepsis and more.
Why internal bleeding is especially dangerous
One of the most serious consequences of blunt-force trauma is internal bleeding, which can go unnoticed for a long time. Someone might initially only feel a little mild pressure or soreness before collapsing.
Warning signs can include abdominal pain, swelling, dizziness, weakness, difficulty breathing, confusion or fainting. However, symptoms vary by injury, and some workers may have few early warning signs.
Severe internal bleeding can lead to shock, organ failure and death without emergency treatment. Anyone who may have suffered a serious internal injury should seek immediate medical attention – even if there are no visible wounds.
The long-term consequences of internal injuries
Surviving an internal injury does not always mean making a complete recovery. Some workers require emergency surgery, extended hospitalization or ongoing treatment for damaged organs. Others may develop chronic pain, reduced organ function or permanent physical limitations.
Because internal injuries can be difficult to recognize and their consequences can be severe, prompt medical attention and careful documentation are particularly important. Understanding the available legal options can also help injured workers protect their families and their futures while they stay focused on their recovery.]]>On Behalf of Mossman Law Office<![CDATA[Why does night driving get harder with age?]]>https://www.mossmanlaw.us/?p=490432026-10-21T17:43:26Z2026-10-21T17:43:26ZHow aging affects vision after dark
Even people with excellent daytime vision can struggle to see clearly after dark. Multiple age-related changes contribute to the problem. For example:
Less light reaches the retina: As people age, their pupils generally become smaller and don't dilate as much in darkness. That means less light enters their eyes, making it harder to see at night.
Greater sensitivity to glare: Changes in the eye's lens can cause light to scatter, making oncoming headlights appear brighter and more distracting. Cataracts can make the problem worse.
Reduced contrast sensitivity: Aging can make it harder to distinguish objects from their backgrounds. A pedestrian wearing dark clothing, for example, may be difficult to spot against a poorly lit road.
Slower adjustment to changing light: Older eyes may take longer to adapt when moving between brightly lit and dark conditions. This can be particularly troublesome when approaching or leaving brightly lit intersections.
These changes don’t necessarily happen at the same time for everyone. However, drivers who experience significant difficulty seeing after dark need to be conscious of their limitations, particularly on unfamiliar or poorly lit roads.
When a car accident involving an older driver happens at night, it is reasonable to ask whether age-related vision difficulties played a part. A skilled personal injury attorney can help establish the appropriate degree of responsibility each driver should bear for the resulting losses.]]>On Behalf of Mossman Law Office<![CDATA[Can your social media posts hurt your workers’ comp claim?]]>https://www.mossmanlaw.us/?p=490242026-10-07T13:28:55Z2026-10-07T13:28:55ZSocial media is a hunting ground for insurers
Insurers routinely prowl through social media websites these days, looking for “evidence” that they can use to diminish or deny workers’ comp claims and reduce their operational costs.
If you’re claiming that you can’t lift, bend, drive or perform other regular daily activities because of your injuries and your posts seem to show you doing exactly those things, that’s an issue. Any post that shows you hiking, working around the house, standing for a long time, playing pickleball or other sports, taking trips or just generally looking like you are enjoying life can potentially be used to challenge your truthfulness and the extent of your limitations.
Don’t expect your privacy settings to shield you
Your privacy settings may be on, but they can provide a false sense of security. Someone may copy and share your post, tag you in a photo that you don’t control or screenshot something you send and pass it on to another person. Your posts can even be part of the official discovery process in a case.
That doesn't mean you should suddenly delete everything after filing a claim. Deleting potentially relevant posts can create problems of its own. Instead, it's generally best to be cautious about what you post. Don’t talk about your injury, medical treatment or workers' compensation case online. It's also not a bad idea to ask friends and family not to tag you in photographs or post information about you without asking.
If your workers’ compensation claim is being met with resistance, it may be time to seek legal guidance, given all that is at stake.]]>On Behalf of Mossman Law Office<![CDATA[Why you need to describe your past jobs when you apply for SSD]]>https://www.mossmanlaw.us/?p=489602026-09-23T22:50:00Z2026-09-23T22:45:06ZYour job title isn’t always an explanation of your work
Two people can have the same job title and still spend their workdays very differently. One person called an “office manager” may spend the entire day at their desk handling emails and phone calls. In another office, the manager may spend a large chunk of their day moving boxes of supplies, standing at a counter sorting mail, kneeling and bending to file paperwork and helping customers.
The reason SSA requires a complete description of your actual duties to understand the demands of your past work activity in relation to the limitations you have due to your conditions. SSA looks specifically at the work you’ve performed in the last five years when deciding whether you can return to one of those jobs. Claims examiners must compare the physical and mental demands of that work with what you can do now, given your disabilities.
The work activity form SSA requires you to complete includes questions about:
How much time you spent sitting, standing and walking
The heaviest items you lifted and how often you lifted them
Tasks that required concentration, memory or working with other people
Equipment you used, decisions you made and people you supervised
Details matter. If your job involved lifting boxes every day, writing only “customer service” could leave SSA with an incomplete picture. Similarly, a job that sounds physically demanding may have included long periods of sitting.
Be as specific and accurate as you can when describing your work. Think about what you did on a typical day and what you had to do occasionally, even if it was not in your job description. If your condition caused you to reduce your hours, change duties or leave a job, explain that too. An experienced disability attorney can help you present a clear work history and address mistakes or missing details that could affect how your claim is evaluated.]]>On Behalf of Mossman Law Office<![CDATA[Can your employer force you to be examined medically post-injury?]]>https://www.mossmanlaw.us/?p=489512026-09-16T14:49:09Z2026-09-16T14:49:09ZIdaho Code § 72-433, an employer, their insurer or the Idaho Industrial Commission may require you to undergo an examination with a qualified physician or surgeon at their expense. If you do not attend, your workers’ compensation benefits will be stopped.
Why would another medical opinion be needed?
Usually an IME is ordered because there is some question or dispute about an issue related to your workers’ comp claim. This might include:
Whether additional treatment is medically necessary, especially if it is major
Whether you can return to work and, if so, under what restrictions
Whether you have reached maximum medical improvement
Whether a preexisting condition contributed to your symptoms
Whether you have any permanent injuries and to what degree
When there are multiple treatment recommendations and they do not agree
For example, suppose you injured your shoulder while lifting equipment at work. Your treating doctor recommends surgery and says you cannot return to your regular duties. The insurer may arrange another examination to determine whether the doctor it selected agrees that the injury is work-related and surgery is necessary.
It’s also possible that you may be required to attend more than one IME over the course of your claim, so long as each request is supported by a reasonable cause.
An employer-requested examination can influence whether your treatment and benefits continue. Many are not nearly as “independent” as they claim to be. Before attending, review your notice carefully, make sure you understand the purpose of the exam and consider speaking with an Idaho workers’ compensation attorney if anything about the request (or results) seems unreasonable.]]>On Behalf of Mossman Law Office<![CDATA[How residual functional capacity reviews may affect SSDI benefits]]>https://www.mossmanlaw.us/?p=489502026-08-22T13:33:58Z2026-08-22T13:33:58ZHow is RFC defined and assessed?
The SSA defines RFC as an “individual's maximum remaining ability to do sustained work activities in an ordinary work setting on a regular and continuing basis.” For example, what is the most work they can do in an 8-hour-a-day, 5-day-a-week job? If an SSDI recipient’s recent work history didn’t include a full-time job, their RFC may be assessed based on “sustained work activities” for a shorter workday or workweek.
Evaluators access a person’s “ability to meet the physical, mental, sensory, and other requirements of work.” They look first at the ability to do work they have previously done and then at whether they are able to adjust to another type of work to determine whether they continue to qualify to receive SSDI benefits or not.
An initial assessment of a person’s RFC when they first apply for SSDI is made based on the information the applicant and their doctor(s) provide. An SSDI recipient’s RFC should typically increase as their condition improves over time.
It can be one thing for a person to know they don’t have the RFC yet to achieve “substantial gainful activity,” which would end their SSDI benefits and another to provide the information and evidence necessary to convince the SSA that they still need their benefits. Having experienced legal guidance can make all the difference.]]>On Behalf of Mossman Law Office<![CDATA[Spinal cord injuries can have significant long-term effects]]>https://www.mossmanlaw.us/?p=489492026-08-10T17:05:12Z2026-08-10T17:05:12Ztime in a rehabilitation center. During that time, they may start to think about modifications they need to make so life will be a little easier when they make it home.
Modifications can be costly
There are many modifications that might be necessary when a person with a spinal cord injury is ready to return home. Transportation is often the first challenge, especially if a person is in a wheelchair. This could mean they need a new vehicle that can accommodate their wheelchair.
They may also need to have modification of their home completed. This may include installing ramps, widening doorways, remodeling bathrooms, lowering counters and changing furniture, all with the purpose of being more accessible. Each of those modifications can be costly, especially if the person has lost their income and has mounting medical bills.
For individuals who have suffered a spinal cord injury due to another party’s negligence may opt to pursue a compensation claim. The claim should include all the damages related to the injury at issue, including the modification expenses. It’s not always easy to determine the amount of damages to which a spinal cord injury victim is entitled, which is one of the many reasons why it’s generally advisable to seek legal guidance when pursuing justice.]]>On Behalf of Mossman Law Office<![CDATA[Understanding workers’ compensation disability benefits]]>https://www.mossmanlaw.us/?p=489342026-07-31T12:27:23Z2026-07-31T12:27:23ZDisability pay doesn't fully replace wages
Workers’ compensation disability benefits do not provide 100% income replacement protection. Instead, both temporary and permanent disability benefits generally only replace up to two-thirds of a professional’s average weekly wage.
Even then, the employee making the claim is subject to a statutory maximum benefit adjusted annually by the state. Those in particularly well-paid professions may find that the maximum benefit of amount available is significantly less than two-thirds of their usual weekly wages. Even though disability benefits only provide partial wage replacement, they are still crucial for the financial stability of those who cannot work due to job-related medical conditions.
Having support during a workers’ compensation claim makes it easier for people to understand their rights and maximize the benefits they receive. An attorney can assist with paperwork and work to ensure that they receive the maximum amount of benefits possible.]]>On Behalf of Mossman Law Office<![CDATA[When brain injury symptoms get worse after an accident]]>https://www.mossmanlaw.us/?p=489312026-07-17T13:37:27Z2026-07-17T13:37:27ZIf you suffer a head injury in an accident, whether it is a workplace accident or a car accident, it is important to seek medical attention. Even if the injury initially seems relatively minor, keep an eye on the symptoms to see if they get worse. This could demonstrate that it is much more serious than previously believed.
For instance, in a jarring impact, you could suffer a concussion. The brain moves violently against the inside wall of the skull, which can cause an injury even if there is not any external damage.As a general rule, people recover from concussions relatively quickly, usually in a matter of weeks or potentially months. Their symptoms will generally be getting better the entire time. But if the symptoms are getting worse, it could be a more serious injury, like a subdural hematoma.
Bleeding around the brain
A subdural hematoma happens when there is bleeding in the tissues around the brain. Because the brain is confined within the skull, this means that pressure builds up. It also means that blood flow and oxygen can be cut off from certain parts of the brain, two things that can lead to severe harm.When symptoms are getting worse, it could indicate that this type of internal bleeding is happening and that emergency medical treatment is necessary. Symptoms could include dizziness, confusion, brain fog, headaches, migraines, memory loss, lack of motor skills and much more. If medical attention is not provided, a subdural hematoma can even become fatal.The key, then, is to take every head injury seriously and talk to medical professionals, just to ensure that there are not any underlying complications. Those who have suffered a serious TBI also need to know what legal options they have at this time.
]]>On Behalf of Mossman Law Office<![CDATA[How long must people work to be eligible for SSDI benefits?]]>https://www.mossmanlaw.us/?p=489212026-06-30T23:53:56Z2026-06-30T23:53:56ZApplicants need enough credits
The Social Security Administration (SSA) tracks payroll contributions and how much income people make. Workers can accumulate a maximum of four credits each year. In 2026, people can receive one credit for every $1,890 they earn. Anyone who makes $7,560 or more can accrue the maximum four credits.
Most SSDI applicants are over the age of 31. They must have 40 total credits, 20 of which they earned in the last year, to qualify. Younger applicants may be eligible for benefits with fewer work credits. Young professionals just starting their careers can potentially be eligible for benefits with as few as six total credits.
Reviewing work history and medical records with an SSDI attorney can help people determine if they are likely to qualify for benefits and if they need additional documentation before they apply. SSDI applicants with support while filling out paperwork and appealing unfavorable decisions often have a better chance of securing the benefits they need.]]>