If you are injured at work, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits, depending on the severity of your injury. Ligament tears and tendon injuries are common in the workplace, and while they may not be life-threatening, they are nonetheless both painful and detrimental to your ability to perform your job. As with any workers’ compensation claim, there are complex issues that can arise in your pursuit of workers’ compensation benefits for injuries to a ligament or tendon. Therefore, if you suffered a ligament tear or tendon injury at work, you should retain an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to assist you in pursuing your claim for permanent or temporary disability benefits. At Law Office of Joseph Richards, P.C., our Riverside and San Bernardino County work injury lawyers work vigorously to help recover the workers’ compensation benefits that are owed following a workplace injury. We have a primary office in Orange County and a secondary office in Riverside County.
Ligaments are internal tissues that connect bone to bone, while tendons are tissues that connect bone to muscle. Injuries to ligaments and tendons can be very painful, and recovery may be slow, since it is often difficult for workers to refrain from using the injured body part. Tendon and ligament issues will not improve with exercise, but they may be treated with rest, physical therapy, or surgery.
Ligament tears and tendon injuries can be classified as specific injuries or continuous trauma. A specific injury is caused by a singular, easily identifiable traumatic event, such as a fall or car accident. Jobs that are more labor-intensive and require lifting have a higher risk of ligament tears. Knees, ankles, and shoulders are common locations of torn ligaments. Tendon injuries can be caused by a single event as well, but they are also frequently caused by repetitive motions that cause continuous trauma. Common examples of workplace tendon injuries caused by continuous trauma are carpal tunnel syndrome, tennis elbow, and rotator cuff injuries. Overuse injuries are not limited to these locations, however, and any job that requires a worker to repeatedly engage in the same motions can result in continuous trauma.
An injury to a ligament or tendon caused by an accident that occurred in the workplace can usually be easily linked to the traumatic event. In cases in which an injury to a ligament or tendon is caused by overuse or repetitive motion, however, your employer may attempt to argue that it did not occur in the workplace but was caused either by a pre-existing condition or by some activity outside the workplace. It is important to obtain accurate copies of any medical records discussing your injury, especially as it pertains to the cause of your injury and when it occurred. Additionally, you may need to obtain a medical expert to evaluate your injury and provide a report or testimony supporting your argument that it occurred in the performance of your job. A knowledgeable workers’ compensation attorney can identify the potential hurdles to your recovery of benefits and conduct the discovery necessary to formulate a case that refutes any argument against your recovery.
If you have suffered a ligament tear or tendon injury at work, you may be entitled to a variety of workers’ compensation benefits. First, you may recover the cost of any medical treatment for your injury, including physical therapy, braces, surgery, and medication. If you are unable to work for a period of time following your injury, you may recover disability benefits. If you cannot resume your job and are deemed partially or totally permanently disabled, you may be entitled to permanent disability benefits. Otherwise, you may be entitled to temporary disability benefits until your condition resolves.
Disability benefits are calculated by using a number of factors, including your wages at the time of the injury and the severity of your disability. You may also be entitled to benefits that will allow you to obtain training for a new position, if your injury prevents you from returning to your prior position. It is essential that the full extent of the impact of your injury is determined prior to the resolution of your claim.
The attorneys at Law Office of Joseph Richards, P.C. know how important financial stability is to people injured in the workplace, and we work tirelessly for our clients. We have offices in Orange County and Riverside County, and we assist injured workers in Santa Ana, Costa Mesa, Anaheim, Irvine, Moreno Valley, Corona, Temecula, El Centro, Long Beach, San Bernardino, Fontana, Rancho Cucamonga, and San Diego. We represent people elsewhere in Orange, Riverside, Imperial, Los Angeles, San Bernardino, and San Diego Counties as well. Contact us at (888) 883-6588 or via our online form to set up a consultation to discuss a ligament tear or tendon injury, or another type of workplace injury, such as a broken bone or back injury.