Hickory Knee Injury Lawyer

Hickory Knee Injury Attorney

Some of the most debilitating and painful injuries are the ones that can affect an individual’s joints. When your knees sustain injury, you will likely experience a decrease in your range of motion, not to mention immense amounts of chronic and severe pain. You may also find yourself dealing with permanent complications that can make it difficult to maintain your employment. In these situations, a skilled Hickory knee injury lawyer can help you seek compensation.

For over 40 years, the team at Roberts Law Firm, P.A. has been assisting individuals across the state of North Carolina get back on their feet following a personal or work-related injury. It is important to keep in mind that a knee injury can be caused by several incidents, and not all are related to work. At Roberts Law Firm, P.A., we can review the circumstances of your case and help determine if a workers’ compensation claim or personal injury claim is right for you.

Common Hickory Knee Injuries

In 2023 alone, the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics reported over 2.5 million nonfatal workplace-related injuries and illnesses, a fair share of these being injuries that affected workers’ knees. While it is possible to suffer injuries outside of the workplace, such as in a motor vehicle accident, a slip and fall accident, or a dog bite attack, many of these kinds of injuries take place at work.

Knee injuries often occur as a result of overuse or from sudden and traumatic events. This can include suffering a direct hit to the knee, falling on your knee, or incorrectly bending or twisting the knee joint. The most common knee injuries seen in Hickory, North Carolina, include the following:

• Strains and sprains: These injuries can occur for several reasons, such as slipping and falling in a warehouse, and can impact the tendons and ligaments that help support both the knee and the muscles that surround the knee. These injuries can cause severe amounts of pain and, if not attended to in a quick manner, can lead to chronic conditions.
• Fractures: These injuries, otherwise known as broken bones, can include breaks of the kneecap or attached parts of your femur, or leg bone, as well as the tibia or fibula. These injuries are most often caused by sudden and abnormal force, such as falling on your knee, twisting your knee in a sudden and severe way, when your knee strikes a stationary object, or suffering a force that bends the knee.
• Ligament tears: This can include damage to your medial collateral ligament, or your MCL, which is often the most commonly injured ligament in an individual’s knee. You may also suffer a tear in your ACL, or anterior cruciate ligament, which is located inside the knee joint. This is a common injury in sports and is often caused by making a sudden stop or having to swiftly change directions.
• Dislocation: Though the dislocation of your kneecap or knee joint is rare, it can result in serious and debilitating injuries. If not properly cared for, these injuries can lead to chronic and severe conditions.
• Osteoarthritis: When you suffer an injury to your knee, you may develop this degenerative joint disease, which can cause inflammation and stiffness in the joint, as well as severe pain.
• Repetitive motions: When you are required to do the same motions for work day in and day out, you may suffer what is known as a repetitive motion injury, which, in some cases, can affect the knees of an individual. Repetitive motion injuries that affect the knees can include small tears in the tendons around the knee, inflammation of the small sacs of fluid that help lubricate and cushion the joint, or pain in the kneecap.

Causes of Work-Related Knee Injuries

Those who work in the transportation, trade, utilities, or health services sectors have higher chances of experiencing a workplace injury or illness than those who work in other modes of employment. In fact, in 2023, 53% of all occupational injuries and illnesses reported came from these sectors. In Hickory, these can include businesses such as CommScope, Catawba Valley Medical Center, and Merchants Distributors, Inc. (MDI).

Injuries to the knee can come in many ways. The most common causes include:

• Slips, trips, or falls
• Overexertion, such as carrying or throwing heavy objects, pushing and pulling objects, or heavy lifting
• Being struck by an object or tool
• Bending, climbing, sitting, standing, or reaching for long periods of time

FAQs

What Are the Common Causes of a Personal Knee Injury?

Outside of the workplace, knee injuries are a commonly cited reason for many personal injury claims. Personal injury claims can occur when you suffer harm due to the negligence of another party. The most common causes of these injuries can include motor vehicle accidents, dog bite attacks, and premises liability cases, such as slips, trips, or falls on the property belonging to another entity or individual.

How Many Workers’ Compensation Claims Are Opened in NC?

Between 2021 and 2022, the North Carolina Industrial Commission, or NCIC, reported that 57,616 claims for workers’ compensation were opened in the state. Outside of knee injuries, there are several other causes for these claims, such as cancers, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, broken bones and fractures, nerve damage, and other injuries caused by repetitive stress or motion.

What Compensation Is Available for a Knee Injury?

Depending on whether or not your injury is related to work and the circumstances of the event that caused the injury, you may be entitled to several forms of compensation. For a work-related injury, you may be able to seek compensation for related medical expenses and lost wages. For a personal injury, on top of the previous two items, you may also be able to seek pain and suffering damages.

How Long Does It Take to Settle a Knee Injury Case?

It can be difficult to offer an exact timeline as to how long it may take to settle a knee injury claim, be it work-related or a personal injury case. This is due to the fact that there are many variables involved in these cases that can impact the overall time frame, including the complexity of the case, the availability of evidence, and the cooperation of all involved.

Speak with a Compassionate Hickory Injury Lawyer Today

At Roberts Law Firm, P.A., we have pursued hundreds of injury cases and have secured thousands of dollars’ worth of compensation for our clients. We understand what a difficult time this is and hope to do everything in our power to get you the benefits you deserve after suffering a knee injury. Contact our offices today to learn more and to schedule a consultation.