Knee Injuries in the Airline Industry
Lawyers for Chicago Workers’ Compensation Claims
Knee injuries can be quite painful. The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act is designed to provide benefits for knee and other injuries suffered by workers on the job in the airline industry regardless of fault. In other words, even if you were partially to blame for your injuries or even if nobody was to blame for the accident, you should still be able to get benefits. In this way, the workers’ compensation system is a little more straightforward than personal injury litigation. However, the benefits are often less than the compensation would be if you recovered damages by suing a third party in a personal injury lawsuit. If you have suffered knee injuries in the airline industry, you may be able to recover benefits with the help of a Chicago workers’ compensation attorney.
Knee Injuries in the Airline Industry
If a knee twists or bends unwillingly because of pressure placed upon it, there can be stress on joints, cartilage and ligaments. Knee injuries include sprains, strains, torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), medial collateral ligament (MCL), and posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) injuries. Many people know about the importance of the ACL, which is the most often injured knee ligament; injuries are often produced through twisting or a sudden directional change. MCL injuries are often caused by a blow to the knee. For example, if you are a stewardess and the food cart crashes into you during turbulence and you hearing a popping sound, you might have suffered an MCL injury. Although PCL injuries are rare, they can occur when there is a forceful event such as an airplane crash or even in connection with twisting or hyperextension.
You should see a doctor immediately if you suffered a knee injury in the airline industry. The extent and nature of the injury will be evaluated using an MRI, ultrasound or X-ray. You may need to go through rehabilitation therapy for weeks in order to reduce your swelling and pain, but in some cases, a knee injury is so severe, surgery is necessary. For example, it may be necessary to get a surgical ACL reconstruction, which is a procedure in which the surgeon will remove the torn ACL and put in place instead a healthy tendon. Afterwards, physical therapy will be necessary and there will be months of recovery time during which, if the airline worker walked or stood a lot on the job, the airline worker will not be able to work.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits
The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act allows employees to pick their own doctor, and an employer keeps a panel of doctors from which an employee chooses his or hers. Sometimes airline workers live outside Illinois, but they may still be entitled to recover benefits under the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act.
Unfortunately, there are insurers who are more concerned with profit than paying benefits, and they may deny valid claims involving knee injuries, or may not pay the full benefits to which you are entitled, which is why it can be crucial to discuss your claim with a workers’ compensation attorney.
Workers’ compensation benefits include disability benefits, medical benefits, vocational benefits and more. Knee injuries can require you to go to the ER, a doctor, physical therapy and rehabilitation. You should be able to get your mileage reimbursed for traveling to all these places, and you should be able to get your reasonable medical treatment paid for by workers’ compensation.
Consult a Seasoned Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Chicago
Insurers try to save money wherever possible and may raise spurious responses to your workers’ compensation claim involving knee injuries. It is advisable to retain an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer if you suffer a knee injury while working in the airline industry in Chicago. At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, we represent injured airline workers in Quincy, Aurora, Rockford, Springfield, and Champaign, as well as Adams, Winnebago, Sangamon, Cook and Kane Counties. We can also figure out whether it’s appropriate to pursue damages in a wrongful death lawsuit should be sought. Contact us toll-free at 312-724-5846 or via our online form.