Illinois Workers' Compensation Attorneys Blog

Famously the end to many professional athletes' seasons or careers, ACL and MCL tears are also fairly common injuries suffered by Illinois workers. Understanding your knee ligament injury is an important step in not only your treatment and recovery, but also in understanding your rights under Illinois Workers' Compensation Law.

In your body, and particularly in your joints, bones are connected to each other by fibrous tissues called ligaments. In your knee, there are four major ligaments, and the ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and MCL (medial collateral ligament) are two of these. The ACL sits in the middle of your knee and connects your femur to your tibia, or your thigh bone to your shin bone. It is an important element in stabilizing the knee and keeping it from bending too far back. The MCL also connects your femur to your tibia, but runs up the inner side of your knee instead. It helps keep the knee from bending too far side to side.

Sudden, traumatic events that force your knee to bend in the wrong direction can injure the ACL and the MCL. These injuries can present themselves as strains or, in worst case scenarios, tears. Furthermore, due to its important stabilizing function, once the ACL is injured, it is common for the MCL to become injured as well. Injuries to the knee ligaments tend to produce symptoms such as a feeling of instability, pain, and swelling.

In order to properly diagnose the extent of knee ligament injuries, doctors will attempt a range of tests from manual manipulation of the knee to MRIs. If it is determined that a knee ligament has been torn, then there are various courses of treatment your doctor may recommend. Conservative treatment such as physical therapy may be prescribed, or a knee brace may be worn. If conservative treatment fails or is inappropriate, a doctor may determine that surgery is necessary. This surgery is typically done arthroscopically.

In any event, a knee ligament injury can be a serious, debilitating injury that affects your ability to work. If you hurt your knee at work, report the injury to your employer and consult an Illinois work injury attorney today so that they can help you fully understand your rights and benefits.

In Illinois, if you are hurt at work, there are three types of benefits that you are entitled to by law. An Illinois Workers' Compensation attorney will ensure that you receive these benefits. The law provides compensation for:

Time off work - If you are unable to work due to restrictions given by your doctor, you are entitled to receive weekly payments equal to 2/3 of your average weekly wage until you are either able to work again or have completed treatment for your work injury. In workers compensation, this is called "Temporary Total Disability", or "TTD" for short.

Medical bills - Your employer is required to pay all reasonable and necessary medical bills relating to your work injury. This includes doctor visits, diagnostic testing such as MRIs or X-Rays, surgery, and rehabilitation services such as physical therapy.

Permanent disability - The law recognizes that even after you have finished treatment, you will never be 100% again. You may be completely disabled, or you may have some lingering affects from the injury and treatment. Even if you are not completely disabled, you are entitled to compensation for the permanent effects of your work injury.

These benefits, as well as other aspects of workers compensation law are provided by the Illinois Workers' Compensation Act. Workers' Compensation attorneys are familiar with this body of law and the necessary processes involved in getting injured workers the benefits they deserve.