Knee Injuries

Workplace Accident Attorneys Representing Residents of the Chicago Area

Many people suffer from knee injuries. The knee is the largest joint in your body. Its lower and upper bones are separated by discs, and the surface of these bones is covered by articular cartilage. The cartilage is there to absorb shock and provide smoothness of motion. Knee problems can arise due to injuries to any of the structures inside the knee. If you develop a knee injury due to your job, you should consult an experienced Chicago knee injury lawyer about a potential claim. At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, we may be able to provide legal representation in pursuing benefits, and we can also represent you in any appropriate third-party personal injury claim.

Knee Injuries on the Job

A sudden or acute knee injury could be caused by the knee being hit, twisted, bent, or crushed. In such cases, the pain and swelling may be serious. Broken kneecaps, sprains, strains, tears to the meniscus, ligament tears, and dislocation are all knee injuries that may be suffered on the job. There are numerous industries in which jobs place great stress on the knees, including construction, manufacturing, and food service.

If your knee is injured on the job, you may be able to obtain benefits through the workers’ compensation system. In Illinois, an employer’s insurer pays workers’ compensation benefits to workers who are injured on the job or who have a job-related illness. Benefits are intended to compensate for injuries that are fully or partly caused by a job. However, you do not need to establish someone else’s fault, as you would in a personal injury claim. A knee injury attorney in Chicago does not need to prove that your employer’s negligence caused your knee injuries. In fact, you can recover benefits for knee injuries even if you are partially or fully to blame for the injury.

As an injured worker, it is your responsibility to bring the claim. If you suffer knee injuries on the job, you should notify your employer within 45 days of the accident. Although you can provide notice verbally, it is wise to provide the notice in writing and include a description of the injuries. You must file a workers’ compensation claim within the later of three years of injuring your knee or two years of your last payment from the insurer. When a knee disability worsens, and you have not already gotten approval for a lump sum settlement, you would be able to open your case again within 30 months of the award.

While you can pursue a workers’ compensation claim on your own, it is usually advisable to retain an attorney. It is particularly important to retain a Chicago knee injury attorney if your employer refuses to report your injury to an insurer or the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, if your employer or insurer refuses to pay your medical bills, if an adjuster wants a recorded statement from you, if a rehab nurse contacts you to monitor your case, if a treating doctor has released you from medical care while you are still in need of treatment, or if you have missed time from work but are not being compensated for that missed time.

Generally, any medical care that you need for your knee injury should be covered by workers’ compensation. Often, serious knee injuries require rehabilitation, and this should also be covered within particular limits. Additionally, if you cannot work because of your knee injuries, you may be eligible for temporary or permanent weekly disability payments.

In some cases, a worker has a knee injury that is then aggravated by a particular job. You can still recover workers’ compensation benefits if a pre-existing condition is aggravated on the job.

Explore Your Options with a Knee Injury Lawyer in Chicago

If you suffered knee injuries on the job in Chicago, you should consult an experienced workers’ compensation attorney. At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, we also represent people in Aurora, Springfield, Champaign, Rockford, and Quincy, as well as elsewhere in Cook, Kane, Sangamon, Champaign, Winnebago, and Adams Counties. You can call us at 312-724-5846, or contact us online, for a free consultation.