May 2018 Case Summaries

Byron Warnken on June 15, 2018
Posted in Personal Injury, Successes for Our Clients, Workers' Comp.

The below is a sampling of cases that concluded – permanently or “for now” if a workers’ compensation PPD award – at Warnken, LLC last month.  We produce this list every single month – you can find other examples of cases conclusions here.

Not every case is the same – many variables go into the valuation and recovery in a personal injury or workers’ compensation case.  Use the lists we produce to get a general idea, but then seek the guidance of a personal injury or workers’ compensation attorney.

• Injury: Knee sprain
• Body Part: Knee
• Amount: $12,000 (total PPD of $20,425.56)
• Claimant sustained injury to the knee after falling at work. Claimant received conservative treatment and was able to return to pre-injury employment.

 

• Injury: Hypertension (HTN)
• Body Part: Heart
• Amount: $11,270 (total PPD of $34,615)
• Claimant developed hypertension as a result of being a law enforcement officer. At the time of the case, Claimant’s hypertension is controlled with medication.

 

• Injury: Displacement of S1 nerve root
• Body Part: Back
• Amount: $3,387.50 (total PPD of $27,100)
• Claimant was injured after lifting heavy objects at work. Claimant was treated with therapy, injections, and laminectomy and was able to continue employment.

 

• Injury: Comminuted, displaced, and angulated fracture of the left distal radius
• Body Part: Wrist
• Amount: $35,000.00
• Claimant was injured after falling at work. Claimant underwent surgery to repair the injury and was able to return to pre-injury employment.

 

• Injury: ACL rupture, chronic lumbar strain
• Body Part: Knee
• Amount: $135,000 plus MSA of $39,314.58
• Claimant was injured after slipping on ice. Claimant underwent three surgeries to the knee and received injections in the back. Claimant was able to return to employment with permanent restrictions.

 

• Injury: Upper back strain
• Body Part: Back
• Amount: $3,990.00
• Claimant was injured in a motor vehicle accident. Claimant was treated with medication and therapy and was able to return to pre-injury employment.

 

• Injury: Sprain, contusion
• Body Part:            Chest, left rib cage, lower back
• Amount: $9,500.00
• Claimant was injured at work when he slipped on wax on the floor and fell into a buffer machine handle causing injury to his chest, left rib cate, left side and lower back.

 

• Injury: Rotator cuff strain
• Body Part: Shoulder
• Amount: $2,175.00
• Claimant injured shoulder at work, causing need for physical therapy and injections. This award was for a worsening of condition.

 

• Injury: Lumbar strain
• Body Part: Lower back
• Amount: $9,680.00
• Claimant injured lower back caused by being rear-ended while driving during the course of employment. Claimant treated with physical therapy.

 

• Injury: Shoulder sprain/strain, cervical disc bulges
• Body Part: Arm, neck
• Amount: $27,440.00
• Claimant injured shoulder and neck at work while lifting a crate of food. XRays were performed at the hospital.  Claimant then saw primary care physician and was referred to an orthopedic surgeon. MRI of the cervical spine showed small disc bulges at multiple levels.

 

• Injury: Fracture
• Body Part:            Foot (ankle)
• Amount: $25,725.00
• Claimant was escorting an aggressive patient when he fell and injured his ankle. X-rays revealed a nondisplaced avulsion fracture of the lateral malleolus.  He was initially immobilized in a walking boot before transitioning to an ankle brace. He underwent a course of physical therapy.  A subsequent CT scan revealed a residual nonunion of the anterolateral malleolar fracture with subluxation of the peroneal tendons.  The Claimant then underwent surgical repair of the tendon followed by post-operative physical therapy.  He was eventually released and returned to work.

 

• Injury: Fracture
• Body Part: Foot/ankle
• Amount: $26,325.00
• Claimant fell 10-12 feet to the ground while he was attempting to secure the pipes. X-rays revealed a displaced spiral fracture of the left lateral malleolus.  He was then referred to a surgeon who performed an ORIF of the left distal fibular fracture.  He returned to work three months later.

 

• Injury: Rotator cuff tear
• Body Part:            Shoulder
• Amount: $55,000.00
• Claimant injured his left shoulder at work while picking up boxes. He underwent arthroscopic repair of his rotator cuff followed by a course of physical therapy and work hardening.  He was eventually released and returned to work without restriction.

 

• Injury: Avulsion of the talonavicular joint
• Body Part: Foot (ankle)
• Amount: $8,600.00
• Claimant was injured at work when she as working with a patient. She came under the care of an orthopedist who placed her in a boot. She had an MRI which showed an avulsion of the talonavicular joint and was placed on crutches.  She was given a lidocaine joint injection and underwent physical therapy.

 

• Injury: Knee contusions, sprain, ankle sprain
• Body Part: Knees and ankles
• Amount: $10,320.00
• Claimant inured both knees and an ankle pursuant to a fall at work. The Claimant attended physical therapy and missed little time from work.

 

• Injury: Post-concussive syndrome, cervical sprain
• Body Part: Head, neck
• Amount: $6,160.00
• Claimant was stationary in vehicle when claimant’s vehicle was struck by another vehicle in a parking lot. Claimant went to the hospital where injured workers was treated for a headache and discharged.  Physical therapy for the neck ensued.

 

• Injury: Fracture
• Body Part:            Arm (elbow)
• Amount: $13,275.00
• After a slip and fall at work, Claimant had surgery and underwent post-operative physical therapy.

 

• Injury: Interstitial tear of the peroneus brevis tendon
• Body Part: Foot/ankle
• Amount: $5,504.00
• Claimant slipped and fell during the course of employment. Initial xrays were negative.  An MRI of the ankle revealed Achilles peritendinitis, a focal interstitial tear of the peroneus brevis tendon with no fracture of the ankle.    A cortisone injection and physical therapy were the treatment modalities.

 

• Injury: Sprain
• Body Part: Shoulder, neck, upper back
• Amount: $8,800.00
• Claimant injured neck, back, and shoulder but did not miss any time from work.  Injury treatment included physical therapy and work conditioning.

 

• Injury: Thoracic strain with disc bulge
• Body Part: Back
• Amount: $15,000.00
• Claimant injured back at work while placing beer into a freezer. An MRI revealed a bulging disc.  Treatment included physical therapy and medications.

 

• Injury: Lumbar disc herniation
• Body Part: Lower back
• Amount: $65,000.00
• Claimant sustained an injury at work when twisting back at work, causing disc herniation. An MRI of the lumbar spine revealed a central disc protrusion at L4-L5 compressing both L5 nerve roots. Claimant had physical therapy, multiple selective nerve root blocks/lumbar epidurals, radiofrequency ablations and non-operative management.  Finally, claimant underwent an L4-L5 lumbar laminectomy followed by a course of post-op therapy.