Did you recently find yourself injured on the job? If so, it may feel like your life has come to a grinding halt. A knee injury can take you off the job and unable to return back to your normal daily routine right away. In addition to your injury, if you’re worried about finances and paying your bills, now is the time to take action. In some cases, an injury may be severe enough in which you may need surgical intervention or advanced physical therapy. Making sure that you follow the proper steps will ensure that you’re on the right road to recovery.

Getting Prompt Medical Treatment

One of the first things you need to do after experiencing an injury is getting emergency care right away. Even if you feel that you may not be injured as severely as you think, you should still get evaluated by a medical professional. This is also important because it allows you to document the incident and makes it easier to process insurance claims through workers compensation. Getting medical care right away can help your doctor come up with the appropriate diagnosis and implement the proper treatment right away. Your doctor may determine that you need surgery to repair a broken bone or torn ligament. 

If your ACL – or anterior cruciate ligament – is involved and it’s been completely torn, surgery may be necessary. With a knee ACL tear, parts of your own tendon or a human donor tissue may be used for the repair. While this may seem like a huge setback to your recovery and getting back to work, it’s necessary. Keep in mind, if you’re filing a workers compensation claim, you may have to go to a specific doctor or hospital. Failure to do so may result in your claim being denied and your insurance company failing to pay for the services.

Seeking out an Injury Lawyer

Depending on the details of the accident and how you became hurt, it may be wise to seek legal representation. If you went to work, you expected to engage in working in a safe and thriving environment. If a machine malfunctioned or the accident that you were in could have been prevented, a lawyer may help you decide if you can build a case. You may wish to seek monetary reimbursement for lost wages and pain and suffering. Your lawyer will do some research about prior safety violations and also interview witnesses who may be able to help testify about unsafe work conditions.

Utilizing Your Benefits

Being off work and not having the income going into your bank account like you’re used to can trigger a lot of anxiety. One thing to check for is if you’ve previously signed up for short-term disability or any type of supplemental insurance. If you have, this may be able to help you get your hands on some cash while you’re waiting for workers compensation to begin. Consulting with human resources or the department in charge of handling your employee benefits is the best way to determine what benefits you have and to start utilizing them.

The Recovery Process

If surgery has been part of your treatment, after an accident or injury, there can be a lot of unexpected obstacles you may be facing. Arthroscopy surgery typically involves the surgeon going into the knee joint and the surrounding area to take a closer look and repair the damage if possible. In severely damage cases, a knee replacement may have to be done. This involves a more significant recovery time compared to just repairing minor problems or tears. If the damage is permanent, you may not be able to return to work right away or you may be unable to do your job. Talk to your doctor about the prognosis and what you should do regarding your future and physical limitations. He may recommend avoiding a specific activity or he may push you to engage in intense physical therapy to help rebuild the injured area and improve your overall range of motion.

An unforeseen accident on the job is something no one wants to experience. The resulting injury that includes knee issues can leave a crippling effect on your lifestyle and your overall livelihood. Getting the right treatment, seeking out legal advice if needed and utilizing all of your employee benefits will help make the process more bearable.