Illinois Workers' Compensation Attorneys Blog

In the recent case Williams v. Rehab and Care Center of Jackson County, the Commission awarded benefits to the claimant for disability relating to disc herniation, but denied any benefits for her fibromyalgia. Fibromyalgia is a medical disorder characterized by chronic widespread pain and a heightened and paintful response to pressure. The Commission found that the claimant did not present sufficient evidence establishing a relationship between the fibromyalgia and her work accident. The main point to be gleaned from this case is that the absence of symptoms consistent with fibromyalgia until 38 months after the work accident constitutes strong evidence negating a causal relationship between accident and fibromyalgia.
The claimant was working as an administrative assistant on October 27, 2004, when she injured her back lifting a box. She was later diagnosed with a disc herniation. Instead of surgery, she opted to receive conservative treatment, but her symptoms failed to improve. In January 2008, she was also diagnosed with fibromyalgia. The claimant's family doctor testified that chronic back pain can cause fibromyalgia and that there was a causal relationship between the work accident and fibromyalgia. The defendant's medical expert stated that if the claimant did, in fact, have fibromyalgia, that it was not caused by her job. The arbitrator awarded temporary total disability for the disc herniation, but ultimately found that the claimant failed to establish a causal connection between the fibromyalgia and the work accident, as there were no symptoms consistent with fibromyalgia until 38 months after the accident.
If you have questions or concerns about your condition and its relation to a work injury, please contact you Illinois Work Injury Attorney.

Carpal tunnel syndrome causes pain, tingling, and other problems in your hand due to pressure on the median nerve in your wrist. Most often these symptoms occur in the thumb, index, middle and half of the ring finger.
This condition can be caused by trauma or by repetitive hand movements or repetitive use of tools in the work place. This is especially true when the wrist is bent down with the hands lower than the wrists.
Sometimes the condition can successfully be treated with conservative measures such as icing the wrist for 10 to 15 minutes or the cessation of those activities (such as prolonged typing) that cause the pain. However, the condition can often require surgical treatment. The sooner the condition is treated, the less risk there is of long-term nerve damage.
When these symptoms present themselves it is important to report it to your employer and seek medical care. If you experience any of these symptoms due to activities in the workplace, please contact your Illinois Work Injury Attorney.

An anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL injury is a tear in one of the knee ligaments which joins the upper leg bone with the lower leg bone. The ACL's primary function is to keep the knee stable. Injuries can range from mild to severe. In severe cases, the ligament can tear completely or separate from the bone.

An ACL injury can occur in an employment setting. For example, a fall from a ladder or missed step on a staircase can cause such an injury. Lifting and twisting are also common causes. Like any other body part, the ACL becomes weaker with age, and after reaching the age of 40 a tear becomes more likely.
Some symptoms of an acute ACL injury include feeling or hearing a pop in the knee at the time of the injury, pain on the outside or back of the knee. The knee may also swell within the first hours of the injury. You may also experience limited knee movement due to pain or swelling.

To treat an ACL tear, there are two main options. You can undergo exercises and training, also known as rehabilitation therapy. This may take several months for your knee to get better, and may require you to lose time from work. The other option is surgery arthroscopically or an open surgery. Your treatment will depend on the severity of your ACL tear, whether other parts of the knee are injured, your level of activity, your age, your overall health, and how long ago the injury occurred.

If you have injured your knee in a work accident, immediately report the incident to your employer and seek medical attention. Then, contact you Illinois Workers Compensation Attorney.

Strains and sprains are the most common workplace injuries. (http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2005/mar/wk4/art05.htm). On each side of a joint, muscles attach to bone with bands of tissue known as tendons. A strain happens when the muscle and tendon group is stretched or torn. A strain is commonly referred to as a pulled muscle. It can occur in three different ways: the muscle can tear, the area where the muscle and tendon attach can tear, or the tendon can rip away from the bone. The most common cause of a strain is overuse and stretching of the muscle.
A sprain occurs if a ligament is stretched or torn. A ligament is also a thick band of tissue, but ligaments connect bones to other bones and stabilize joints. A strain or sprain injury can occur from a single incident like a fall or lifting a heavy object at work. However, a strain or sprain can also develop gradually after many repetitions of a motion. Chronic overuse of a joint can lead the ligament to stretch, the tendon to become irritated, or the joint to become inflamed. The common factor among causes is stress on the body that forces muscles or joints to move in unnatural ways. The risk of a strain or sprain is increased if you are overweight, inactive, or in poor physical condition. To prevent strains and sprains, muscles should be warmed up before work or any other activity that results in a repetitive motion.
The initial symptom of strains and sprains is pain. Other symptoms usually include swelling and spasm which can develop within minutes or hours. Pain can onset after a specific incident or gradually worsen after a series of repetitive motions. With strains and sprains, the pain can increase over the first one to two days. Usually, the combination of symptoms results in difficulty using the injured body part.
Treatment for a strain or sprain should begin immediately. If home care does not control the pain, the injury is severe, numbness or tingling develop, the injured joint is cold or discolored, the joint is dislocated, or swelling slowly develops over a large joint, you should visit a doctor as soon as possible. A doctor will ask questions about the accident, perform a physical examination, and may suggest taking x-rays. Most strains and sprains will heal naturally, but severe strains or sprains may require surgery. An improperly healed strain or sprain can leave the joint susceptible to further injury.
If you believe that you have suffered a strain or sprain while at work, it is important to see a doctor and contact your Illinois Worker's Compensation Attorney. An experienced Illinois Worker's Compensation Attorney will ensure your injury is dealt with effectively, that your doctor understands the legal implications of your injury, and that your employer handles your claim effectively and efficiently.

Your back injury may be caused by your work. People that have physically demanding jobs are at a greater risk of back problems. Job duties that include repetitive lifting, pulling, pushing, bending sideways and twisting make your more susceptible to herniated discs. Jobs that require prolonged sitting or standing in one position also increase your risk of disk herniation.

A herniated disc occurs when the inner layer of a disc in your spine escapes through a tear and ends up in your spinal canal. When this happens the inner layer irritates the nerves which results in pain, numbness or weakness in your back as well as your leg or arm. This can make completing everyday activities almost impossible.

If you slip and fall and hurt your back, symptoms of a herniated disc can occur suddenly. However, symptoms can also appear gradually as the discs in your back degenerate. Back pain, especially pain that shoots into your leg is a sign of a herniated disc. Numbness, tingling, and weakness, are also other common signs of a herniated disk.

If you experience any of these symptoms you should consult a doctor and inform your employer immediately. Herniated discs are serious injuries that can significantly affect your ability to work. To ensure your injury is handled correctly you should consult an Illinois Work Injury Attorney.

An ankle sprain is the most common of all ankle injuries. It occurs when there is a stretching and tearing of ligaments surrounding the ankle joint. When the ankle is forced into a position not normally encountered, the ligaments around the ankle can become pulled and torn.

The most common cause of ankle sprain is applying weight to the foot when it is an inverted or everted position. This commonly happens when walking on an uneven surface. The foot rolls in (inversion) or out (eversion) and the ligaments are stretched. Occasionally a loud "snap" or "pop" can be heard at the time of the sprain, which is usually followed by pain and swelling of the ankle. These sprains are classified by the degree of severity.

When an ankle sprain occurs at work it is important to document what work activities you were performing at the time of your injury. Furthermore, it is important to report to your employer and to your doctor the work activities that caused you to injure your ankle.

When you have suffered an ankle injury immediately seek the attention of your doctor. Your doctor is in the best position to diagnose the problem and provide a treatment plan. Treatment can included the R.I.C.E. treatment plan (Rest, Ice, Compression, and elevation). If conservative treatment fails your doctor may prescribe invasive treatment.

If you experience any of these symptoms due to a work-related injury, please contact your illinois work injury attorney.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a work place injury caused by the overuse of the hands to perform certain repetitive tasks. If your job duties include using tools or computers repetitively a doctor may determine that your carpal tunnel syndrome is job-related.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is caused by swelling, trauma, injury, or repetition. When this occurs the nerves in your carpal tunnel and hand compress. This leads to damage in the muscle, tension in the neck, shoulder, forearm, and hand. A person who has Carpal Tunnel Syndrome feels pain, weakness, numbness, and in severe cases impairment.

If you experience these symptoms, you must report it to your employer. You should also report any pain in your wrist or decreased grip strength. You should seek the care of a doctor to diagnose your injury and consult an experienced Illinois Work Injury Attorney.

The doctor that you see will often determine how successful your claim is. The doctor has to determine that your repetitive work duties were a cause, but not necessarily the sole cause of your carpal tunnel injury.

Workers Compensation insurance carriers commonly challenge the causal relationship between your repetitive job duties and your carpal tunnel injury. An experienced Illinois Work Injury Attorney will ensure that your claim is handled correctly by these carriers.

Herniated discs are caused by sudden twisting or improper lifting. A herniated disc is a painful injury caused by inner parts of the disc spilling out and pressing on the nerves. When a herniated disc presses on the nerve roots it can cause pain, weakness, and numbness in the party of the body where the nerve travels.

Herniated discs commonly occur in the lower back. Lower back herniations can cause pain and numbness in the buttocks and down the leg. This is called sciatica ("sy-AT-ih-kuh"). Sciatica is the most common symptom of a herniated disc in the lower back. Herniated discs also frequently occur in the neck.

If you experience any of these symptoms you should notify your employer and consult a doctor. Your doctor may diagnose a herniated disc by asking questions about your symptoms and examining you. If your symptoms clearly point to a herniated disc, you may not need tests. However, if your doctor is not positive he can perform tests that will allow him to better evaluate your injury.

Symptoms from a herniated disc subside anywhere from a few weeks to a few months after they begin depending on the severity of the herniation. Frequently doctors prescribe medicine to help with the pain. Doctors also suggest physical therapy and rest. Many people have to miss work or can not perform all of their job duties after herniating a disc. In order to make sure that your work and doctor do all that they can for you, you should consult an Illinois Work Injury Attorney.

The American College of Rheumatology states that Carpal Tunnel Syndrome typically affects 4 to 10 million Americans a year. Middle aged to older individuals are more likely to develop the syndrome than younger persons, and females three times more frequently than males.

Research suggests that Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can result from overuse or strain in certain job tasks that require a combination of repetitive, forceful, and awkward or stressed motions of your hands and wrists. Examples of these include using power tools -- such as chippers, grinders, chain saws or jackhammers -- and heavy assembly line work, such as occurs in a meatpacking plant.

Although it's not clear which activities can cause Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, if your work or hobbies are hand-intensive -- involving a combination of awkward, repetitive wrist or finger motions, forceful pinching or gripping, and working with vibrating tools -- you may be at higher risk of developing the condition.

Common symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome include tingling or numbness in your fingers or hand. Other symptoms include pain radiating or extending from your wrist up to your arm or should or down into your palm or fingers. There is also a sense of weakness in your hands and the tendency to drop objects.

If you have signs and symptoms that might be due to carpal tunnel syndrome see your doctor. If you leave the condition untreated, nerve and muscle damage can occur. To make sure your carpal tunnel syndrome is handled correctly contact an experienced Illinois Work Injury Attorney.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is compression of the nerves in your carpal tunnel (part of your wrist and hand). This compression can be caused by swelling, trauma, injury, or repetitive motion. When you have job duties including repetitive use of tools or computers your doctor may be able to determine that your carpal tunnel syndrome is related to your job.
 
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is one of the most serious repetitive strain injury's. Repetitive strain injury is a condition resulting from overuse of the hands to perform a repetitive task. The results of repetitive strain injury's can often cause damage to the muscle, tendons, nerves of the neck, shoulder, forearm, and hand, which can cause pain, weakness, numbness, or impairment.

Workers Compensation insurance carriers often dispute carpal tunnel claims. They do not want to recognize that causal connection between repetitive job duties and carpal tunnel syndrome. The doctor that you see can often make or break your cliam. We can assist you in helping your doctor understand the legal requirements to connect your injury to your repetitive work activities.

The burden of proof is that your work activities need to be a cause of your carpal tunnel syndrome not the sole cause but only a cause. If you experience hand and wrist pain, loss of grip strength, pain in your wrist, or hands from repetitive work , you must protect your rights by reporting it to your job,seek the care of a doctor, and consult an experienced Illinois Work Injury Attorney.

As a Chicago Work Comp lawyer I have seen thousands of carpal tunnel cases. Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can have a combination of symptoms. There are over 15 different possible work-related contributing factors or causes of carpal tunnel syndrome, people often have a wide variety of symptoms and responses. These symptoms include but are not limited to:

• Restricted blood circulation
• Burning pain that radiates up the forearm
• Difficulty gripping
• Routinely dropping objects
• Loss of feeling or swollen sensations in the hand or fingers

Chicago workers compensation attorneys at our law firm have found there is no cure for carpal tunnel syndrome if it has progressed. If carpal tunnel syndrome is treated early on it can often result in the relief of some symptoms in a few days. Carpal tunnel syndrome is a repetitive stress work injury, this means it often comes back even after surgery. Carpal tunnel syndrome should not be ignored because of the impact you it can have on your ability to work.
If you are experiencing a combination of these symptoms inform your employer and consult a physician immediately. Also consult an experienced Chicago work comp law firm

Carpal Tunnel syndrome is a debilitating diagnosis that results in pain in the hands. Choosing the proper doctor is very important to treat this debilitating condition. Our Illinois Workers Compensation law firm has seen clients treated by chiropractors, orthopedic surgeons, physical therapists, neurosurgeons and neurologists.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is pain, tingling, and other problems in your hand because of pressure on the median nerve in your wrist. The median nerve and several tendons travel from your forearm to your hand through a small space in your wrist called the carpal tunnel. The median nerve controls movement and feeling in your thumb and first three fingers (not your little finger).

Our Chicago repetitive trauma attorneys have rarely seen chiropractors or physical therapist cure carpal tunnel syndrome. We have seen them relieve the symptoms temporarily. Once the pain effects your quality of life often carpal tunnel surgery is the only option. Our experienced Chicago work injury lawyers have achieved tremendous success obtaining workers compensation benefits for those workers who have carpal tunnel symptoms do to an specific or repetitive trauma injury on the job. Our law firms can advise on which doctor are best for you to see with your carpal tunnel.

Report this injury to your employer and consult an attorney that concentrates in Carpal Tunnel Syndrome cases. You have workers compensation rights.

In every five work-related injury, one results from a slip, trip, or
fall. Slip, trips, and fall can be tragic and affect your ability to
work.

According to OSHA, slips, trips, and falls are the number one cause of
work-related injuries. Whether fatal or non-fatal, falls are a safety
concern in the work-place. Workplace falls has taken over 715 lives
and caused 313,335 injuries involving a work absence every year.
Slips and trips make up over 65% of work-related injuries.

Falls can result in serious injuries such as severe head injuries,
back injuries, paralysis, broken bones, sprains and strains to muscles
and even death. Even an effort to catch your balance to prevent from
slipping or tripping can cause sprains and strains to muscles or
joints and permanent back injuries.

If you have a work-related injury that resulted from a slip, trip, or
fall inform your employer immediately and consult an attorney.

OSHA, 2005

Partial Permanent Disability.

In an Illinois Workers' Compensation case you are entitled to be compensated for the extent that your injury has caused a Partial Permanent Disability (PPD). This compensation is either through settlement or arbitration award once your condition has reached a state of permanence.

What is partial permanent disability?

Partial Permanent Disability (PPD) is any lasting disability from your work injury or illness that affects your ability to earn a living. You are entitled to compensation for Partial Permanent Disability (PPD) benefits even if you are able to go back to work.

How is Partial Permanent Disability (PPD) determined?

When your doctor has found that you have reached Maximum Medical Improvement, he determines what your permanent physical restrictions will be. These permanent restrictions are based on the nature of your injury and the extent of your recovery. Additionally, the restrictions may be based on objective testing such as MRIs, Operative Reports, and Functional Capacity Examinations.

How is your claim resolved?

Workers' Compensation Claims are resolved by settlement or by arbitration. In negotiating settlement, permanent restrictions are compared with the restrictions of similarly situated injured workers with similar recoveries. These comparisons are assessed based on prior arbitration decisions. Your workers' compensation attorney will be in the best position to get an accurate assessment of the partial permanent disability in your case.

What is The Illinois Workers Compensation Act?

The Illinois Workers Compensation Act promotes the general welfare of the people of this state by providing compensation for accidental injuries or death suffered in the course of employment within this state and without this state where the contract of employment is made within this state; providing for the enforcement and administering thereof, and a penalty for its violation, and repealing an act therein named Compensation involves payment for time off of work, payment of medical expenses, and payment for partial permanent disability.

Whom does Workers Compensation cover?

Almost all persons who are employed are covered by workers compensation. Workers' Compensation laws also applies to government agencies as well as private employers most city, county, and state workers are covered. Workers' compensation death benefits are available to dependent family members of eligible workers who die from work-related injuries.

What entitles you to benefits?

Most injuries that are covered under workers compensation result from some form of work-related injuries. The most common injuries include:

• Falls
• Repetitive stress injuries
• Back injuries
• Carpal tunnel syndrome

Worker's Compensation laws are designed to protect employees no matter who is at fault. Workers compensation is an insurance claim not a lawsuit. Therefore you should consult with an Illinois Work Injury attorney, to ensure you receive the benefits you are entitled to.