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​Experienced ILLINOIS Workers’ Compensation Lawyers
& CHICAGO Injury Lawyers

Torn Ligaments in the Auto Industry

Lawyers for Workers Hurt on the Job in Chicago

Ligaments are bands of dense regular connective tissue bundles that are made of fibers and sheathed with connective tissue. They link bones to form joints. A torn ligament in the auto industry can cause significant pain, and may render you unable to work. If you were hurt on the job, you can consult a Chicago workers’ compensation attorney with experience handling auto workers’ claims. At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, may be able to represent you and help you determine your legal options.

Torn Ligaments in the Auto Industry

An extremely mild tear of the ligament is unlikely to result in instability in the joint. However, it can still be painful and you may need to rest it. Certainly if there is an incomplete tear that causes loose joints, you will likely need to decrease your activity level. There are also situations in which a ligament is entirely torn or ruptured. It may be impossible to place weight on a joint where the torn ligament is, and you may not be able to use the impacted limb because the joint is not stable. If you tear one of the ligaments in your knee, for example, you may not be able to turn, twist, or pivot. Sometimes an injured ligament is treated using rest, ice, compression, and elevation, along with pain relievers and muscle strengthening exercises, activity restrictions, and a brace for the joint. In other cases, the tear or damage is too severe for this milder treatment, and surgery becomes necessary. What is entailed in a ligament repair surgery may depend on the particular ligament. When a knee ligament is torn and surgery is conducted, usually the ligament will be grafted over with a healthy piece of tendon. The tendon may come from your body or from a donor.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Chicago

The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Act allows for a range of benefits to be obtained by those injured in work-related accidents. These benefits are provided without you needing to show that the accident was another’s fault; you also cannot be prevented from getting benefits because you were partially to blame for your own torn ligament. However, the torn ligament would not be covered if it was intentionally self-inflicted, if it was sustained while you committed a serious crime, if you suffered it while not on the job, or where your conduct violated company policy. For example, if you started a fight with your coworker and your ligament was torn while fighting, you probably wouldn’t be able to get workers’ compensation benefits. A skilled work injury lawyer can evaluate the circumstances of your injury to determine whether your claim for benefits would be likely to succeed.

If you suffer a torn ligament in the auto industry, you should notify your employer in writing as soon as you can, even if your employer witnessed the accident that produced the torn ligament. Benefits to which you may be entitled include medical expenses, rehabilitative expenses, permanent total disability benefits, temporary partial disability benefits, temporary total disability benefits, and medical and rehabilitative expenses. Disability benefits vary based on how long the disability is expected to last and whether it’s total or partial. Temporary total disability benefits are equal to 2/3 of your average weekly wage if you’re not able to work while you recover from the torn ligament. If you are awarded temporary partial disability benefits, this will amount to 2/3 of the difference between the average amount you would be able to earn in your pre-injury job, and what is earned in a light duty job while recovering.

Retain an Experienced Workers’ Compensation Attorney in Chicago

If you suffer a torn ligament in the auto industry in Chicago, you can consult a seasoned workers’ compensation lawyer regarding a work injury claim. At Katz, Friedman, Eisenstein, Johnson, Bareck & Bertuca, our lawyers represent disabled people in Rockford, Quincy, Champaign, and Aurora, as well as Sangamon, Adams, Cook, Kane, and Winnebago Counties. We look closely at the circumstances of our clients’ injuries to determine whether there are also other avenues for relief. Contact us at 312-724-5846 or by completing our online form.