Disability Law

Case Study: Workers Compensation for Severe Ankle and Foot Injuries

By Jodi B. Ginsberg

Welcome to the 7th installment of my summer long series on Georgia Workers' comp case studies. In the following case study, I discuss workers compensation for severe ankle and foot injuries.

Severe ankle and foot injury Workers? Compensation case

While moving a control panel with one of her co-workers, Mrs. K incurred a severe ankle and foot injury. While moving the (approximately) 250-pound panel, they decided to set it down after only taking it 10 feet from where it was originally stationed. At that time, it became extremely unsteady and fell on her foot, snapping and breaking Mrs. K?s ankle and foot in the process. She was immediately rushed to her local hospital?s ER where she would undergo surgery to repair the fracture.

After her surgery, Mrs. K was referred to Concentra and saw them 3 days after her surgery. Despite the severity of her fracture, she was only given conservative treatment even though she was in extreme pain and could not walk without assistance. It was discovered that she was suffering with ecchymosis up the leg to her knee and neuropraxia over her foot. Within days of the diagnosis, she underwent another surgery and had hardware implanted which would be removed with a second surgery. Even after the follow-up surgery, she continues to suffer with pain and swelling.

Dr. M informed her that she may have to live the rest of her life with the pain and swelling she was currently suffering with. She remained on ?no-work? status until she was recently released and allowed to only perform sedentary duties on the job. Since her job requires her to climb, squat, stand, and stoop on company equipment, it is very evident that Mrs. K can no longer perform these duties. As a result of these circumstances we have demanded a settlement in the amount of ?X?.

Full post as published by Georgia Workers Compensation blog on July 15, 2010 (boomark / email).