Last Month’s Results in Personal Injury and Workers’ Compensation Cases

Byron Warnken on April 20, 2020
Posted in Personal Injury, Successes for Our Clients, Workers' Comp.

Warnken, LLC recovered $972,240 for the injured in March of 2020.  The firm had a strong month concluding matters for our clients, but new cases were down substantially with the impact of COVID-19.

Please remember, no two personal injury or workers compensation cases are the same.  Our past successes do not necessarily mean success for your case.  Call us to have one of our attorneys discuss the specifics of your case.  Below are cases that concluded, for now or for good, last month.

 

• Injury: Workers’ Compensation Hearing Loss
• Body Part: Occupational Hearing Loss and Tinnitus
• Amount: $238,875 (All Medical Benefits for these retired steelworkers; $6,825 per case by sample medical allocation)
• Location: Baltimore County
• Employer: Bethlehem Steel Corp.
• This case was as close as it comes to a “class action” under Maryland workers’ compensation law. Claimants were employees of Bethlehem Steel Corp. at Sparrows Point.  They were all diagnosed with occupational hearing loss.  Maryland’s UEF denied them benefits.  We fought to get these benefits back for these deserving retired steel workers.  More on these cases coming.

 

 

• Injury: Sesamoid Fracture
• Body Part:      Foot/Ankle
• Amount: $38,959.72
• Claimant sustained an injury while stepping off concrete and twisting the ankle/foot. Claimant underwent an X-ray which revealed a fracture. Claimant ultimately had surgery to repair the fracture, including post-operative physical therapy and medications.  Claimant developed a bunion as a result of the post-op boot but was able to return to pre-injury employment.

 

• Injury: Burns
• Body Part:      Forearm
• Amount: $5,000
• Claimant sustained first degree burns to the forearm area while working in a restaurant. Claimant received burn cream and was able to return to a new job with a different employer.

 

 

• Injury: Ankle Sprain
• Amount: $4,887.50
• Claimant was walking down steps while working and rolled their ankle. Claimant was diagnosed with an ankle sprain, provided and air boot. There was no fracture revealed on the X-ray. Claimant underwent physical therapy before returning to the same job with the same employer.

 

• Injury: Labral Tear
• Body Part: Shoulder
• Amount: $44,000.00
• Employer: A Fire Protection Company
• Claimant they fell off a ladder at work and sustained injury to their shoulder. Claimant had an MRI which revealed a small labral tear.  Claimant underwent surgery in the form of a Bankart repair.  Claimant was also treated with post-operative physical therapy before a full duty work release.

 

• Insurer: Chesapeake Employers Insurance Co.
• Type of Award: Settlement with MSA
• Employer: Union Based Employer
• Injury: Index Finger
• Amount: $20,000.00 plus MSA
• Claimant slipped and fell from a ladder causing him to sustain a laceration to the tendons in the index finger. Claimant underwent surgery to the finger and was cleared to return to pre-injury employment.

 

• Insurer: IWIF
• Employer: State of Maryland
• Injury: Lumbar strain
• Body Part: Back
• Amount: $9,150.00
• Claimant sustained injury after lifting heavy object at work. Claimant was treated with chiropractic treatment and physical therapy.

 

• Insurer: IWIF
• Injury: Lumbar strain
• Body Part: Back
• Amount: $14,040.00
• Claimant sustained injury after rear-ending another vehicle while working. Claimant was treated with therapy and medication and continued pre-injury employment.

 

• Insurer: IWIF
• Injury: Lumbar strain
• Body Part: Back
• Amount: $5,610.00
• Claimant sustained injury after lifting heavy objects at work. Claimant underwent orthopedic care and therapy. Claimant continued working the pre-injury job throughout the treatment.

 

• Injury: Fraying of the labrum and cervical strain
• Body Part: Neck and Shoulder
• Amount: $11,000.00
• Claimant sustained injury after lifting heavy objects at work. Claimant underwent orthopedic care, therapy, and cervical injections.

 

• Injury: Bicep tendon rupture
• Body Part: Arm
• Claimant reopened claim for additional treatment and was awarded acupuncture in lieu of pain management.

 

• Injury: Distal radial fracture (Wrist Injury)
• Body Part: Arm
• Amount: $5,610.00
• Claimant sustained injury after the arm became pinned between a pallet and a metal rail. Claimant was treated with bracing and medication before returned to pre-injury employment.

 

• Injury: Ankle sprain
• Body Part: Ankle
• Amount: $10,000.00
• Claimant sustained injury after losing his footing while walking. Claimant was treated with therapy and was able to return to pre-injury employment.

 

• Employer: University of Maryland
• Injury: Hip strain
• Body Part: Hip
• Amount: $6,405.00

 

• Claimant sustained injury after being pushed by a patient and slipping and falling to the ground. Claimant was treated with therapy and continued pre-injury employment.
• Injury: L4-5 Disc Herniation
• Body Part: Back
• Amount: $27,900.00
• Claimant sustained injury after lifting a heavy object at work. Claimant had decompression surgery and was able to return to pre-injury employment.

 

• Employer: Baltimore City Public Schools
• Injury: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
• Body Part: Wrist
• Amount: $4,300.00 (total over claim $8,600)
• Claimant sustained injury after being struck in the arm at work. Claimant reopened claim for additional treatment. Claimant had surgery on reopening.

 

• Injury: Post-traumatic headaches, sprain of back, traumatic injury to leg/knee
• Body Part:      Leg, Head, Back
• Amount: $8,976.00
• Claimant sustained an injury while walking down a ramp, slipping and falling, injuring the head, back, and leg, including small scarring to the face. Claimant underwent X-rays and a course of physical therapy. Claimant returned to the same job at the same employer.

 

 

• Injury: Facial Laceration, Headaches, back strain
• Body Part:      Head, face & Back
• Amount: $9,350.00
• Claimant was knocked over and hit the head/face area with metal trays. Claimant sustained a laceration the face and received several stitches. Claimant had a course of physical therapy and was able to return to the same job at the same employer.

 

• Injury: Contusion
• Body Part: Wrist
• Amount: $2,500.00, AFCS
• Claimant was working as a residential counselor assisting a patient when they sustained injury to their wrist. Claimant was treated with a wrist brace.

 

• Injury: Radial Head Fracture
• Body Part: Bilateral Elbows
• Amount: $55,000.00, AFCS
• Claimant was working as a security guard and fell sustaining injury to both elbows. Claimant was treated with x-rays which confirmed fractures, pain medication and physical therapy.

 

• Injury: Headaches, Cervical Sprain, Back Sprain, Elbow Contusion, Bilateral Wrist Contusion, Lumbosacral Sprain, Hip contusion
• Body Part: Back, Hip, Shoulder, Neck, Bilateral Wrists, Elbow, Head
• Amount: $25,000.00
• Location: Clinton, Maryland
• Claimant slipped and fell from a ladder while working as a lawn and garden associate. Xrays did not reveal and fractures but an MRI showed a disc protrusion in the cervical spine. Claimant was treated with physical therapy and pain medication.

 

• Injury: Neck Strain, Labral Anterior Posterior Tear of the Shoulder
• Body Part: Shoulder, neck
• Amount: $9,350.00
• Location: Burtonsville, Maryland
• Claimant slipped and fell on ice in a parking lot sustaining injury to the neck and shoulder. Claimant was treated with physical therapy, medication, and work hardening. An MRI of the left shoulder revealed a small focal anterior labral tear.  Claimant also had an MRI of the neck which showed a paracentral disc protrusion at C6-C7.  The Claimant completed work hardening with a full duty work release.

 

• Injury: Disc protrusion
• Body Part: Thoracic Spine, Lumbar Spine
• Amount: $27,375.00, PPD
• Claimant was working as a welder when they were assisting a co-worker with a heavy metal sign sustaining injury to the back. An MRI was performed and showed L4/5 disc protrusion. Claimant was treated with physical therapy, chiropractic treatment and lumbar injections.

 

• Injury: Displaced Calcaneous Fracture
• Body Part: Foot
• Amount: $38,587.50
• Location: Rosedale, MD
• Claimant tripped over a pallet while working as a forklift operator and fell three feet to the ground. Claimant was diagnosed with displaced calcaneous fracture and underwent surgical repair with hardware.  The hardware was removed approximately 6 months later while the Claimant progressed through physical therapy and work hardening.  The Claimant subsequently developed post traumatic subtalar arthritis which resulted in another surgery in the form of a subtalar fusion.  This was followed by additional physical therapy.

 

• Injury: Subretinal Hemorrhage
• Body Part: Eye
• Amount: $8,600
• Employer: Baltimore City Public Schools
• Location: Baltimore, MD
• Claimant was working as a teacher when stuck in the eye with a water bottle.

 

• Injury: Sprain/Strain
• Body Part: Neck, Back
• Location: Pasadena, MD
• Claimant was injured in a motor vehicle collision during the course of employment. Claimant was treated with physical therapy post MRI.

 

• Injury: Sprain/Strain
• Body Part: Neck, Back
• Amount: $17,000.00
• Location: Baltimore, MD
• Claimant was injured at work when struck by a falling laundry bag. Claimant was treated with physical therapy and chiropractic treatment.

 

 

• Injury: Concussion, Contusion
• Body Part: Head, Eye
• Amount: $3,500.00
• Employer: State of Maryland
• Location: Baltimore, MD
• Claimant was assaulted by a co-worker at work. Claimant was treated with medication, eye drops and physical therapy.

 

 

• Injury: Disc Protrusion
• Body Part: Back
• Amount: $36,500.00
• Location: Baltimore, MD
• Claimant sustained injury carrying a washing machine up a flight of stairs. Claimant was treated with pain medications, physical therapy and injections including epidural steroid and medial branch block.  An MRI was performed which revealed L4/5 disc protrusion and L5/S1 disc bulge.  Claimant also underwent a radiofrequency ablation procedure to the lumbar spine.

 

 

• Injury: Traumatic brain injury and neck and back injuries
• Body Part: Head, Neck, Back
• Amount: $25,000.00.
• Location: Baltimore County
• Claimant sustained physical injuries to the head, neck and back as a result of a fall due to the worker’s legs being entangled. The worker struck the head on the concrete floor and was diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury.  A large right-side subdural hematoma was diagnosed and the worker underwent a right frontal and parietal bur hole evacuation of the subdural.  Claimant was a part-time employee at the time of the injury.  Settled at mediation on Employer/Insurer’s appeal.

 

 

• Injury: Contusions to the head and post-traumatic headaches.
• Body Part: Head, Wrist and Hip
• Amount: $8,000.00
• Location: Baltimore City
• Claimant sustained injuries when he was struck in the face by a van door, that knocked him to the ground.

 

 

• Injury: Closed fracture of the proximal humerus one shoulder; impingement of other
• Body Part: Both Shoulders
• Amount: $34,675.00
• Location: Cecil County
• Closed fracture of the proximal humerus, internal impairment of the shoulder super imposed on prior shoulder injuries. For left shoulder, Claimant underwent an open humeral head resurfacing as well as eight pre- and post-surgical cortisone steroid injections.  For the right shoulder, the Claimant underwent two cortisone steroid injections.  Claimant sustained injury to both shoulders while pushing a full pallet load of product weighing about 1,000 pounds.

 

 

• Injury: Arthroscopic repair of a torn labrum, hip arthroscopic osteoplasty and acetabuloplasty.  Also back cortisone injection.
• Body Part: Hip and Back
• Amount: $50,000.00 – In addition to benefits previously paid.
• Location: Montgomery County
• Employer: Adventist Healthcare, Inc.
• Claimant sustained injuries when she was kicked by a patient while performing home healthcare duties.

 

 

• Injury: Wrist, Hip and Back contusions.
• Body Part: Wrist, Hip and Back
• Amount: $5,000.00
• Location: Anne Arundel County
• Claimant slipped and fell from a crane ladder from about a seven foot height.

 

 

• Injury: Back, annual fissure at L5-S1 and facet arthropathy superimposed on pre-exiting conditions.
• Body Part: Back
• Amount: $6,405.00
• Location: Anne Arundel County
• Claimant sustained injury while driving a “mis-matched” tractor trailer. Claimant hit a dip, which bounced him out of his set and Claimant landed hard on bench.

 

 

• Injury: Labral tear in the hip and back injury.
• Body Part: Hip and Back
• Amount: $9,000.00 plus payment of 3 months of TTD. $16,590.00
• Location: Harford County
• Claimant sustained lifting injury while moving measurement weights for truck scale houses.

 

 

• Injury: Shoulder impingement and underwent arthroscopic subacromial decompression
• Body Part: Shoulder
• Amount: $20,000.00 AFCS.  New money in additional to prior PPD Order
• Location: Carroll County
• Claimant slipped and fell on steps.

 

 

• Body Part: Back
• Amount: 15% PPD to the back; $27,375.00
• Location: Baltimore County
• Claimant sustained injuries while lifting a heavy generator at a job site. Radicular lumbalgia spondylolisthesis, and lumbar sacral instability. A series of transforaminal epidural steroid injections at L5-S1.

 

 

• Injury: Knee contusion and sprain, back sprain/strain superimposed on pre-existing conditions.
• Body Part: Back and Knee
• Amount: $9,350.00.
• Location: Baltimore City
• Claimant sustained injuries while driving a work truck. He was involved in a motor vehicle collision when he was struck from behand by van.

 

 

 

• Injury: Torn Labrum
• Body Part: Shoulder
• Amount: $41,875.00
• Location: Baltimore County
• Claimant sustained injury when she was struck by another employee driving a pallet jack. She was pinned between the machine and the wall. Two surgeries.  Arthroscopic repair of a superior labrum, anterior to posterior tear (SLAP tear repair).  Second surgery was an arthroscopic debridement and open biceps tenodesis.

 

 

• Injury: C7 Root Compression
• Body Part: Neck and Upper Back
• Amount: $27,375.00
• Location: Baltimore City
• Employer: State of Maryland
• Claimant sustained injury lifting heavy boxes of product. C7 nerve root compression that lead to an anterior cervical fusion and discectomy with placement of an artificial intervertebral disc at C6-7.