Workers’ Compensation Claims for Job-Related Orthopedic & Musculoskeletal Injuries in Georgia

This branch of medicine is not practiced by many general physicians, which means patients are often referred to orthopedic specialists for diagnosis and treatment. This referral can be costly and add up sooner or later. In addition, recovering from an orthopedic injury can be painful and result in temporary limited mobility, which might make it difficult or impossible to go back to work until you’re fully healed.

But sadly, obtaining these benefits isn’t always as easy as it seems. Employers and their insurance companies often put up a fight or deny a claim if they suspect that the injury wasn’t work-related or was the result of a pre-existing condition.

• Wrist fracture. There are 8 tiny carpal bones in the human wrist. When 1 or more of these bones cracks or breaks, this is known as a wrist fracture. By far the most common cause of wrist fractures (in the workplace and elsewhere) is a fall, since a person’s natural instinct when falling is to put out their arms and hands to try to catch the fall and protect their head. Depending on the severity of the injury, a wrist fracture may require a cast or even surgery.
• Shoulder dislocation. Your shoulder is a ball-and-socket joint. When the arm bone fully or partially pops out of the shallow shoulder socket, this is what’s known as a shoulder dislocation. If your shoulder was dislocated, you may have to take time off work to recover. If the injury happened while you were on the clock, you should be eligible for workers’ compensation.
• Ankle and foot sprain. If you suddenly twist, roll or turn your foot in an awkward way, this motion can stretch or tear ligaments and tissue that hold your ankle or foot together, resulting in a sprained ankle. While most sprains can be treated at home with some ice and rest, severe sprains may require medical evaluation and intervention. After you’ve sprained your ankle or foot once, it’s more likely to happen again. It’s important to be vigilant in providing support for your weakened joints.
• ACL tear. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) connects the thighbone to the shinbone and runs through the middle of your knee. Your ACL helps provide stability while you stand, walk and run. When the ACL tears, surgery and physical therapy are often required for treatment, possibly requiring you to take weeks or months off work. A torn ACL in the workplace is most commonly caused when a worker suddenly falls, trips, jumps, twists or hits their knee against a hard object.
• Carpal tunnel. The carpal tunnel is a narrow passageway of tendons, ligaments, nerves and bones between the hand and wrist. Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) occurs when a nerve in this narrow passageway gets pinched, resulting in numbness, weakness, tingling and pain in your fingers. CTS (in addition to tendonitis or bursitis) is especially common among workers who overuse their fingers, hands and arms for repetitive tasks.

• Tennis elbow. Medically known as lateral epicondylitis, tennis (or golfer’s) elbow occurs when the tendons in your elbow are overexerted or overloaded, often due to repetitive motions of the arm and wrist. In spite of the name, tennis players aren’t the only ones who can get this painful condition. Painters, carpenters, construction workers, loggers, restaurant workers, plumbers and assembly line and factory workers all frequently suffer from tennis elbow.
• Stress fracture. Overuse and repetitive activities can weaken the muscles and ligaments that protect the bone over time, resulting in tiny stress fractures. Though these cracks may be small, they can be extremely painful and debilitating. Stress fractures are especially common in occupations that generate prolonged stress and force to a worker’s feet, legs or back caused by moving or lifting.
• Rotator cuff injury. The group of muscles and tendons that encompass your shoulder joint and keep your arm bone locked inside the shoulder socket is called the “rotator cuff.” When these rotator cuff tendons are injured, it can cause a dull ache in your shoulder that can quickly worsen and cause serious pain. These types of injuries increase with age and are more common in people who must reach overhead for their jobs, such as painters, carpenters and warehouse workers.
• Plantar fasciitis. Also known as “policeman’s heel,” plantar fasciitis is inflammation of the thick web of tissue running across the bottom of your foot that connects your heel bone to your toe bones (plantar fascia). Symptoms can include a stabbing pain near your heel. Workers who must be on their feet all day with little rest are most at risk for plantar fasciitis, such as factory and warehouse workers, teachers and postal workers.
• Meniscus tear. The meniscus is a small C-shaped piece of rubbery cartilage that protects the knee from shock and adds cushion. When the meniscus tears, you may suffer pain, swelling and stiffness in the knee. Mobility may be difficult, and in severe cases you may require surgery. Twisted knees are one of the most common orthopedic injuries.