Most Common Workers’ Compensation Injuries In Virginia

Most Common Workers’ Compensation Injuries In Virginia

In Virginia, you may be entitled to lost wage compensation and medical benefits if you have a work injury.  Sadly, there are no jobs that are immune from work injuries.  Injuries can even happen if you work a desk job.

The most common work injuries are:

• Injuries to the shoulder — for example a rotator cuff tear
• Low back injuries
• Knee injuries
• Concussions

Shoulder Injuries

In our law firm, we see work accidents involving injuries to the shoulder most frequently.  These injuries usually occur during lifting or during a fall.

Many times, these shoulder injuries involve rotator cuff or other tears in the tendons and muscles in and surrounding the shoulder. Another shoulder injury we frequently see in our firm is a bicep tendon tear.  With this type of injury, if surgery isn’t performed quickly to repair the tear, there can be lasting damage to the shoulder.  Lastly, acromioclavicular impingement is another shoulder injury frequently caused in the workplace.  With AC impingement, the nerve on the top of the shoulder is pinched and surgery is often necessary.

Frequently, shoulder injuries require surgery to repair.  After surgery, injured workers can expect to be out of work for a while during recuperation and therapy.  Physical therapy is almost always required after shoulder surgery. Recommended physical therapy regimens can require 2-3 visits per week for 6 weeks or more.

Low Back Injuries

Injuries to the low back are next on the list of the work injuries we see most frequently.  Like injuries to the shoulder, low back injuries are often caused by lifting and falls.  Many times, a back injury can be secondary or not as serious as another injury.  For example, workers who suffer a shoulder injury often sustain back injuries as well, but the back injury is not as severe as the shoulder injury.

Even though low back injuries may not be as severe at first as an injury to another part of the body, back injuries may take much longer to heal than other injuries.  This is because the back is such a large area and there are many muscles affecting the movement of the back.  Sometimes a back injury can heal even more slowly than an injury requiring surgery.

Usually, the back injuries we see in our practice resolve over time without the need for surgery.  Often, though, low back injuries do require physical therapy and other conservative measures to improve. Sometimes, we see that a back injury will improve, and then there may be a setback in the recovery process.

Knee Injuries

Injuries to the knee are another frequently seen work injury. The knee is a complex joint. When there is structural damage to the knee, it is often difficult to repair and many times requires surgery.

If there is an injury to the knee during a work accident, physical therapy may also be necessary.

Concussions

Concussions are frustrating injuries because many times they are accompanied by headaches, dizziness, and other symptoms that aren’t easily explained.  Many times, these symptoms can be caused by other underlying conditions and aren’t initially attributed to the work injury.

Concussions often take a long time to heal.  Rehabilitation for concussions may involve avoiding large amounts of stimulation, staying in a dark environment, and managing headaches with medication.