Knee injuries are common in the North Carolina workers’ comp system. Every year we represent many workers with a knee injury workers’ comp case.
Knees are complex structures and have a lot of moving parts. That’s why employees can suffer many different types of work-related knee conditions.
Throw in that many workers have a history of knee problems from when they were younger, making injury all the more common.
So there’s always a question about what knee problems qualify for workers’ comp coverage.
Because a knee injury workers’ comp case can be complicated and involve a history of knee problems, your best bet is to contact an experienced North Carolina workers’ comp law firm that knows how to win these cases.
Common Workers’ Comp Knee Injuries
Work-related knee injuries are most often seen in physical type jobs like construction workers, production facilities, or a warehouse injury, where employees are on their feet all day.
But a knee injury can happen at any type of job site. Even if you work at a desk all day, you can experience a torn ACL just walking up the stairs.
Suddenly, your desk job requires you to undergo an ACL reconstruction.
Given that the knee bears the burden of a lot of force and work, it’s not surprising that this joint is prone to injury. And with age, knees are prone to re-injury.
An aggravation of an old knee injury is quite a common workers’ comp injury.
We often see the following common work-related knee injuries in our North Carolina workers’ comp practice:
- Fractures—There are several bones in the knee that can suffer from breaks and fractures, including the tibia (shinbone), the femur (thighbone), or a fractured patella (kneecap).
- Meniscal injuries—The meniscus is cartilage that cushions areas between bones. Many knee injuries involve damage to the meniscus, such as bruising and tears. This injury may result in a workers’ comp rating for a torn meniscus.
- Tendon injuries—Tendons are structures that connect muscles to bones, which allows us to move our bodies. In some cases, the tendons within the knee can be torn, stretched, bruised, or otherwise damaged, requiring immobilization and sometimes surgical repair.
- Ligament injuries—Ligaments are similar to tendons in that they connect the shinbone to the thigh bone within the knee structure and provide stabilization and strength to the knee. Just like with a tendon, knee injuries can damage a ligament. Several ligaments can be torn or sprained, such as the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL), the medial collateral ligament (MCL), or the lateral collateral ligament (LCL). Repairing these injuries may require surgery—such as ACL reconstruction—or steroid injections.
If you have pain in your knee, make sure that you seek treatment with an orthopedic doctor specializing in knee injuries.
What to Do with Knee Injury at Work
The following are the things that you should immediately do if you have suffered a work-related knee injury:
- Immediately tell your supervisor so that a work injury report can be generated and the workers’ comp process can begin. Don’t wait to see if the injury will be serious. For example, if you are squatting down to pick up a box and you feel a sharp pain in your knee, tell your supervisor immediately. It may be no big deal, but you will be covered if it is a serious injury.
- Seek medical treatment as soon as possible. Going a week or two before you see a doctor because you were putting it off could come back to haunt you. The workers’ comp insurance adjuster may not believe you were injured at work and deny your claim.
- Contact an experienced North Carolina workers’ comp lawyer as soon as possible. Don’t merely rely on what your employer or the insurance adjuster tells you. Get your questions answered by someone who focuses their legal practice on representing injured North Carolina workers.
30+ Years of North Carolina Workers’ Comp Experience
If you have suffered a knee injury at work, don’t think you’re on your own.
The North Carolina workers’ comp lawyers at Mehta & McConnell have successfully represented injured North Carolina workers for more than 30 years.
If you have suffered a work-related knee injury and have questions, we have the answers.
Contact us today to schedule a free initial consultation to learn more about how we can assist you.
Viral Mehta
Viral Mehta is the managing attorney of Mehta & McConnell Injury Lawyers, a Charlotte, North Carolina Workers’ Compensation law firm. He enjoys spending time with friends and family, traveling, sports, and reading.
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