Degenerative Joint Disease Lawyer in Michigan
Always Available for Clients in Need
Degenerative joint disease, or osteoarthritis, is a fairly common condition afflicting about half of all adults over the age of 65 and most commonly affects the knees, hips, spine, shoulders, and hands. Countless Americans acquire it as a result of their work, especially work that requires manual labor. If you have been diagnosed with degenerative joint disease and you believe it to be work-related, Adler Firm, PLLC is ready to assist you. Having handled thousands of injury claims and workers’ compensation claims, we’re known in our community and throughout the state for our commitment to injured workers and families. Our Michigan degenerative joint disease attorney can help you file your claim for benefits, determine whether a settlement is appropriate, and appeal a denied claim on your behalf so you can receive the benefits you deserve from your employer and insurance company.
Did your job contribute to your degenerative joint disease? Learn more through a free consultation with our accessible team when you call (888) 966-9524 or contact us online.
What is Degenerative Joint Disease?
If you have been diagnosed with degenerative joint disease, you may have had it be referred to as “osteoarthritis” or “OA.” The disease causes stiffness, limited range of motion, and pain as a result of your cartilage becoming damaged over time and repeated stress. This cartilage serves to cushion your bones in your body’s joints; without this cushioning, your joints can break down and become stiffer and harder.
Common Occupations that Contribute to Injuries
Because osteoarthritis is a disease that develops over time, it’s less likely that it is caused by a one-time accident and more likely for it to be caused by repetitive motions. As a result, there are certain occupations that are more likely to cause the disease than others, such as if your job includes tasks that place repetitive stress on one particular joint.
Degenerative joint disease can develop from the following conditions:
- Overexertion involving pushing, pulling, lifting, and other actions involving moving objects
- Overexertion that involves being in one unnatural position for a long period of time
- Repetitive motion that involves microtasks
- Being rubbed or jarred by vibration
- Routine overhead work that requires reaching above the head
Common occupations that can contribute to the disease include jobs that involve kneeling or squatting for long periods of time, such as plumbing or HVAC repair work. These workers are constantly kneeling or craning their necks to reach small spaces, which can place a lot of stress on your neck and knees. Other occupations that place workers at a higher risk of injury include construction work, which requires heavy lifting, and factory or assembly work, which involves repetitive movements.
Why You Need a Lawyer
If you have experienced any of the following symptoms, it’s recommended that you seek medical treatment immediately:
- Swelling around a joint
- Muscle weakness around a joint
- Joint instability or buckling
- Pain or aching in the joint during activity
- Joint stiffness in the morning or after resting
- Limited range of motion
- Clicking or cracking when a joint bends
After you’ve been diagnosed and begun receiving treatment for your degenerative joint disease, call our workers’ compensation attorney to begin filing your claim. You need a legal professional to investigate your injury and determine whether you received it while on the job. Workers’ compensation claims can be tricky when it comes to proving that your injuries were directly caused by your job, especially when those injuries appeared over time.
Our attorney can:
- Gather medical records and documents to show how your injuries relate to your work
- File your claim for benefits
- Determine whether the settlement offered is appropriate
- File an appeal if your initial claim was denied or you were awarded less than what you’re entitled to
- Protect you if your employer attempts to retaliate against you, which is illegal
Our attorney has found that employers are often not on the sides of their employees when their injuries lead to workers’ comp claims. We can be the ones to protect your rights to benefits and make sure your employer doesn’t undermine your claim in any way.
Our degenerative joint disease attorney in Michigan has recovered billions for injured clients and can help you file your workers’ comp claim when you call us at (888) 966-9524.
