Hip Injuries in the Auto Industry

Chicago Lawyers for People Hurt at Work

An auto worker’s hip can be injured on the job in many different ways. Sometimes it is injured because the hip is broken or fractured. However, there are also situations in which joints become damaged due to overuse or repetitive motion. When joints are compromised by osteoporosis or a congenital deformity, the hip can be more vulnerable to other injuries. If you have suffered a hip injury in the auto industry, you can discuss your situation with a knowledgeable Chicago workers’ compensation attorney. While you may believe that your claim is straightforward, valid claims do get denied, and it can be helpful to have legal representation. At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, we may be able to assist you in pursuing benefits.

Hip Injuries in the Auto Industry

There are numerous situations an auto worker may face on the job that could result in hip injuries. Different kinds of hip injuries may be disabling such that an auto worker can no longer do his or her job. When someone has healthy bones, it may take a very serious injury to break the hip. However, once bones are weakened by osteoporosis or other conditions, an autoworker may be very vulnerable to suffering a broken hip in a workplace accident.

Sometimes trochanteric bursitis develops. This is an inflammation of the bursa at the outside point of the hip known as the trochanter. If the bursa gets inflamed or irritated, hip pain results. Trochanteric bursitis can become aggravated if you walk or do any activity that causes your tendon to slide over the bones.

Other hip injuries include dislocation or hip labral tears. A hip labral tear happens when there is repetitive use of the hip, and can be caused by injuries like an accident or fall that causes the joints to twist.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Hip Injuries

If you suffer a hip injury in the auto industry and you are unable to work as a result, you may be able to get workers’ compensation benefits, and a skilled work injury lawyer can help. These benefits vary depending on the severity and nature of the injury. You may be able to get temporary partial disability benefits if you can still do some aspects of your job, or if you can return only to light duty or part-time work that pays less than what you received as a full time worker. These benefits are paid at 2/3 of the difference between what you were able to earn prior to the injury and what you currently make. There are also temporary total disability benefits in which the first three workdays of disability aren’t paid unless you need a minimum of 14 days off work, and these benefits are paid until you’ve reached maximum medical improvement by your doctor’s assessment. These benefits equal 2/3 of your average weekly wage up to a maximum cap.

After you reach maximum medical improvement, your hip can be assessed to determine whether you’ve suffered a permanent disability. Permanent total disabilities are extremely serious injuries that leave you unable to work in any capacity. For example, if you break both your hips and these breaks cause permanent problems, you might qualify. There are additional benefits for those with hip injuries that leave them permanently but partially disabled. There are four kinds of permanent partial disability in Illinois: unscheduled losses, disfigurement benefits, wage differential benefits, or scheduled losses. Each of these is calculated a bit differently.

Retain a Seasoned Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Chicago

If you suffer a disabling hip injury in the auto industry in Chicago, you can consult a dedicated workers’ compensation lawyer to learn more about your legal options. At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, we represent those disabled in Champaign, Champaign, Aurora, Quincy, and Rockford, as well as Sangamon, Winnebago, Cook, Kane, and Adams Counties. We examine the circumstances of our clients’ disabilities to figure out all possible sources of compensation. Contact us at 312-724-5846 or by completing our online form.