Work Related Injury: A Case Study

If you are injured on the job, you may be eligible for workers' compensation. For a long term injury, you may be eligible for disability, but in either case, it usually ends with this type of payment. However, there are certain situations when you may be able to file a lawsuit because of your injury. The following are four of these possible situations.

Ingrid is a social worker, wife, and a mother who lives in a two story colonial home with her husband and two daughters, aged 8 and 15 years old. She was active in the school of her children, serving on committees and volunteering to read in the classroom. She attended to church habitually, though her husband did not accompany her. Her interests included swimming, snorkeling, and hiking. Not only was she close to her immediate family, but also maintained frequent contact with her college friends living throughout the country. As well, Ingrid requires moderate assistance with most of her basic activities of daily living (BADL).

12/24/15 Progress Report describes that the patient has right knee pain. The pain is frequent. It is aching and burning in quality. The current pain level is 0/10 and worst pain is 4/10. Bending, squatting, walking, weight bearing, changing clothes and ROM aggravate the pain. Rest, ice,

Physical therapy saw the patient, and the result of the examination are as follows; 6/10 left knee pain at rest and during activity (0 no pain, 10 worst pain), manual muscle testing for both upper and lower extremities were 4/5 except left knee flexion/extension 3+/5 due to pain, sensation on both UE/LE were intact to light touch, Stephen requires a moderate assistance of one person for both functional mobility and gait activity. He uses a front wheeled walker up to 35 feet due to decreased balance and antalgic gait from the left knee

Based on the progress report dated 08/23/16, the patient complains left knee pain upon walking. Discomfort was described as aching, tingling, intense, severe, continuous, pain, discomfort, increasing with movement and varying with activity. Pain is rated as 5/10 without medications and 4/10 with medications.

Patient reports left knee pain history of MVA in 2009 and injured left knee. Patient also reports tooth ache 4/10.

I am writing to provide you with an updated status concerning the above-referenced industrial injury case.

Based on the medical report dated 03/29/16 by Dr. Riley, the patient complains of increased pain to both heels, left greater than the right. She states that the pain is most severe with the 1st step in the morning or after periods of rest. She is requesting new custom orthotics, as her existing pair have become very worn. They are more than 2 years old. Additionally, she sustained a trip and fall Injury on 2/2 with her knee "giving out." Two days prior to this visit, patient is with pain and swelling to the left great toe joint. She is unclear if the injury occurred with the fall, or in the process of

DOI: 7/2/2010. The patient is a 57-year old female claims examiner who sustained a work-related cumulative trauma injury to multiple body parts that include head/cervical spine, shoulders, arms knees, and left hip. As per progress report dated 7/11/16, the patient reports neck and low back pain. IT was noted that the pain is associated with left lower extremity numbness, tingling, and weakness. The patient has tried and failed multiple anti-inflammatories, which causes gastrointestinal upset, except for Celebrex. Her psychiatrist, Dr. Nehoryan has recommended her current regimen including Cymbalta and Restoril intermittently for sleep. It was mentioned that the patient had a fall in early 2/2016 due to left lower extremity numbness and is continuing

As stated earlier, the patient admitting challenge was right total knee replacement related to history of osteoarthritis as evidenced by unrelieved pain. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease that “results from cartilage damage that triggers a metabolic response at the level of the chondrocytes” (Lewis, Dirksen, Heitkemper, Barry, Goldsworthy & Goodridge, 2011, p. 1881). As it progress, it causes the cartilage to become “dull, yellow, and granular” instead of being “smooth, white, translucent” (Lewis et al., 2011; Gulanick & Myers, 2014, p. 1881).As a result, it eventually becomes softer, less elastic, and less capable to resist wear during heavy use. Moreover, as the “central cartilage becomes thinner, cartilage and bony growth increases at the joint margins … that results to uneven distribution of stress across the joint” that contributes to a decrease in motion. (Lewis et al., 2011; Gulanick & Myers, 2014, p. 1882). According to this patient, OA has been giving her pain for about two years that lead her to the decision of having the knee replacement.

DOI: 2/11/2014. This is a case of 37-year-old male production worker who sustained a work-related injury to his back when he bent over to scan the rack tracking bar. As per OMNI, he was initially diagnosed with lumbar spine sprain/strain and gastritis secondary to non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Patient is status post left-sided L4-5 discectomy on 03/11/2015.

Health History: A 25-year-old male injured his left knee in a recent skiing accident. The patient stated that he lost his balance because the inner edge of his right ski got caught while skiing. This resulted in the right leg being externally rotated followed by and audible “pop” as he lost footing. By evening, the right knee joint had become swollen, causing intense pain. The primary care physician referred the case to an orthopedist.

DOI: 9/4/2014. The patient is a 51-year old male paint maker who sustained a work-related injury when he missed a step on a platform and fell, jarring his back. As per OMNI entry, he was diagnosed with lumbar sprain and lumbosacral disc degeneration.

The medical evidence shows the claimant had twisting injury to left knee with lateral meniscus tear on 7/1/13. He was also noted to have preexisting osteoarthritis of the left knee. The claimant underwent arthrosopic partial meniscectomy on the left knee on 2/27/14 with some symptomatic relief. An orthopedic report on 1/13/14 noted ongoing left knee pain. The physical exam showed tenderness; pain with flexion and extension; positive McMuray's test and negative Drawer's test. X-rays of left knee on 1/13/15 showed mild left knee osteoarthritis.

Based on the latest medical report by Dr. Sudberg dated 12/09/15, the patient complains of worsening right knee pain with clicking, right leg numbness and improving left hip pain. Pain is rated as 7/10.