Knee Injury: WHAT WORKERS COMPENSATION COVERS
A knee injury is one of the most common work-related injuries. Whether you work on the field or in an office, hurting your leg is always a possibility. Some knee injuries heal in a few days while others can affect your mobility forever.
Under the law, employees who got injured on the job are entitled to workers compensation benefits. Unfortunately, not all employers and insurance companies are keen on following this law. Some of them routinely deny applications for workers compensation benefits. Others would even go so far as to fire employees who dare to file for benefit claims.
If this happened to you, don’t fret. Our experienced workers compensation lawyer Victor Malca is here to help you. He has helped thousands of injured workers in Florida for the past 23 years. Your employer or insurance company will have a legal team of their own who will try their best to disprove your claim. Atty. Malca’s experience and expertise will work to your advantage and levels out the playing field. Contact us now for a free consultation.
Common Work-Related Knee Injuries
Biologically, our knee is a hinge joint that connects the bones in our upper leg and lower leg and protected on the front by the patella. It has four parts that are often injured: articular cartilage, ligaments, tendons, and menisci. A strong physical impact or continuous strain is the most common cause of knee damage. This means that not all work-related knee injuries are sudden. Some are developed over the years, mostly due to the nature of one’s job.
Some of the most common knee injuries are:
- Fractures – a very common knee injury that sends thousands of Americans to hospitals each year. This happens when one or more bones around the knee (including the patella or kneecap) gets broken.
- Dislocation – when the bones in and around the knee are misaligned.
- Bursitis – when sacs that cushion the knee joints are inflamed. Its usually treated by self-care but some cases require professional treatment.
- Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury – the ACL is a joint that runs down the front of the knee which when injured can cause serious damage. Most ACL injuries require surgery.
- Tendonitis – also known as jumper’s knee, its an inflammation caused by an injury to the tendon that connects the kneecap to the shinbone.
- Tendon tears – usually caused by direct impact during a fall or continuous physical activity that overstretched the tendons until it’s torn apart.
- Meniscal tears – It can be sudden or degenerative. With accidental meniscal tears, you can often hear or feel a pop in your knee which swells and tightens as days pass.
What Workers Comp Benefits Are You Entitled To?
No matter whose fault it is as long as the injury happened in the workplace, you can expect workers compensation benefits. In case of sudden accidents, your employer should provide you with emergency medical care. If they weren’t there during the accident and you paid for the emergency treatment out of your own pocket, they should reimburse you for it.
If your injury requires surgery, be sure to have it performed by a medical professional accredited by your employer or insurance provider. Failure to do so can give them grounds to deny your workers compensation claim. They should also be able to provide for your medicines and other necessary medical supplies. This includes orthosis, prosthesis and other post-surgery treatments.
Aside from medical benefits, you are also entitled to lost wages compensation. The amount of which depends on the kind of disability you suffered as a result of your injury. There are four types of disability you can file for whichever applies to your case:
- Temporary partial disability
- Permanent partial disability
- Temporary complete disability
- Permanent complete disability
If you’re not sure which of these you qualify for, you can always talk to us. We can help you get the benefits that you rightfully deserve.
How We Can Help
It’s common for some employers to make it look like you got the injury from activities outside of work just so they can avoid paying benefits. Cases like this make it all the more necessary for you to talk to us.
Victor Malca is one of the most trusted workers compensation attorney in Florida. We can help you throughout the entire process. From gathering the necessary documents, negotiating with your employer and representing your case in court, we got your back. Our former clients can attest that we don’t stop until you get the workers comp benefits that are rightfully yours. Call, message or visit our office now for a free consultation.