Lower Body Injuries in the Workplace

Lower Body Injuries and Workers' Compensation

When we are healthy, it is easy to take for granted the many different body parts and systems that help us to get through the course of our daily life and work routines. Actions as basic as sitting, standing, and walking all rely upon the interaction of a number of bones, connective tissues, and muscles. An injury to any part of this interactive system can make the performance of those tasks prohibitively painful or physically impossible. Workers who sustain injuries to the lower body in the course of work-related duties may be entitled to receive workers' compensation benefits.

A successful workers' compensation claim can gain an injured employee monetary compensation to pay for necessary medical treatment, transportation to appointments, and missed time at work due to the accident. This is often a real lifesaver for injured workers and their families as they are forced to cope with the very tangible financial difficulties that result from occupational injuries and illnesses because it grants access to notable benefits with a short turnaround time. Though the benefits may have a lower dollar value than a legal action might bring, they become available much more quickly and do not require the demonstration of an employer's fault.

Common Leg Injuries Associated with Work

Intensely physical labor creates a significant risk of workplace injury, but to assume that seemingly non-physical work is completely devoid of danger is a mistake. A misplaced box, unclean hallway, or ice on the stairs can spell disaster. Although we become familiar with our work environments, lapses in attention or even just momentary distraction can turn a friendly space into an accident site. Injuries to the lower body can seriously impair a worker's ability not only to meet the demands of his or her occupation but also may compromise his or her capacity to get to work.

The specific lower body injury that an employee may suffer will depend upon both the nature of the accident that causes the injury and the kind of work that is entailed in his or her position. Common leg injuries that may be associated with work include:

• Fractured leg bones
• Fractured patella
• Fractured bones of the foot
• Sprains and strains
• Hyperextension
• Bursitis
• Tendonitis
• Amputations

For Representation

If you have encountered resistance to your workers' compensation claim, then we can help you to build the most compelling case. Contact the Des Moines workers' compensation lawyers of LaMarca & Landry, P.C.