Between sprains, breaks, tears, and tendonitis, the ankle is an area that workers frequently injure.
Workers compensation lawyers take on a variety of cases throughout the year, each of them involving injuries in different parts of the body. Between sprains, breaks, tears, and tendonitis, the ankle is an area that workers frequently injure. The good news for these employees is that getting benefits for these damages is a likely outcome. Here’s what you need to know about workers compensation claims involving ankle injuries.
Typical Ankle Injuries
The ankle is a crucial part of the body because it assists in a variety of motions. The following injuries are some of the most common forms of damage that affect it.
- Sprains – Ankle sprains tend to be relatively mild. You will be in pain for a few weeks and may miss some time at work, but you might not even make a workers’ compensation claim. Make sure you still get paid for that time away, though, as it is your right to do so.
- Breaks – Bone breaks are much more severe. The first way in which they are is their recovery time, which is significantly longer than a sprain. The second way is that they sometimes have long-term effects.
- Tears – Tendons take a long time to heal, so tearing one is a severe event. You will likely need extensive medical care for this injury.
- Tendonitis – This issue is much less apparent than the others, but can still lead to a great deal of pain.
Situations That Cause Them
As we explained above, the ankle plays a role in many motions. For this reason, there is a multitude of ways in which you can hurt it. The three most common of them include falling, running, and repetitive motions. The first two will lead to acute damages like sprains and breaks, while the latter is more likely to cause tendonitis or some other stress injury.
Avenues to Compensation
The good news is that you should be able to obtain compensation for your ankle injury. The following three avenues are the most common ways to do so.
- Medical Bills – If you hurt yourself at work, you will almost certainly get your medical bills paid for by your employer. This provision is crucial, as fixing a damaged ankle can be incredibly expensive.
- Lost Wages – More severe ankle injuries will lead to you missing work for weeks or months. Your employer should reimburse you for every paycheck that you lose during that time.
- Training – Lastly, you may not be able to do your old job, and will have to get a new one. Workers’ compensation can help you by paying for your training for that new position.
One of the positive aspects of most ankle injuries is that they are apparent. Rather than an invisible condition, like chronic headaches, it will be very clear that you have been injured and that it came as a direct result from work. Still, things can go wrong in these cases, especially if you try to represent yourself. For this reason, it is best to talk to an experienced attorney before pursuing benefits. Give us a call 24/7 at (816) 399-3706 for a FREE case evaluation.