What Doctor to See For Knee Pain After a Work-Related Injury?

Common Work-Related Knee Injuries

You need to be aware that injuries in the workplace entitle you to medical care through workers’ compensation.

Here are some common causes of knee injuries in the workplace:

1. Falls, slip and fall accidents, and falls from height.

2. Overexertion and wear from repeat motion and strain from lifting heavy objects.

3. Objects striking the knee

Any of these causes can lead to serious knee pain and injury. Some common types of knee injuries in the workplace include:

Fractures

Forces, such as objects striking the knee, can cause bones such as the tibia (shinbone), the femur (the thighbone) and the patella (the kneecap) to fracture.

Meniscal Injuries 

The cartilage between the shinbone and femur are torn. This injury, if serious, can result in a surgical procedure.

Tendon Injuries

Tendons that connect muscles to the bones are what move the knee. Overexertion or a direct strike can rupture, sprain or tear a tendon.

Ligament Injuries 

Ligaments that connect the shinbone to the thighbone can be sprained or torn. Repairing injured ligaments may require surgery. ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) and PCL (posterior cruciate ligament) are two serious ligament injuries.

Dislocations

Occur when the bones of your knee get out of place. Falling is a common cause of knee dislocation.

Some signs that you have a knee injury and knee pain are:

• Locking of the knee
• stiff knee
• redness and swelling
• limping because of pain
• difficulty walking or bearing weight
• unable to extend the knee
• shifting weight away from the knee

It’s important to act on these signs straight away. Dealing with a work injury and filing a claim through workers’ compensation can be complicated. To ensure you receive the right claim, you need to seek the right help.

New York Workers' Compensation Options

Your knee has been injured at work, and you are feeling some knee pain. You may be surprised to learn that you are entitled to workers’ compensation.

Workers’ compensation benefits are determined by how much you earn at work and the degree of your injury.

New York workers’ compensation laws can be very complicated and confusing. In the last few years, there have been many changes to the law. Changes that have affected thousands of claimants.

Laws and statutes determine temporary and permanent disability benefits, medical benefits and injury settlements. It is advisable to seek out a workers’ compensation lawyer specific to New York State to help you with your claim.

There may be additional medical expenses related to your injury that you may not consider at the time. To ensure all of your costs and future costs will be covered, you need to seek out the right workers’ compensation attorney to ensure your needs are met.

As an injured worker, you are also entitled to medical care and treatment through a worker’s comp doctor.

What Workers Comp Doctors Do

Once injured, you want to ensure you find doctors capable of accepting your workers’ compensation insurance.

New York Worker’s Compensation laws allow you to access medical care for your work-related injuries. Your injuries are paid by either your employer or your employer’s insurance.

You are required to choose a doctor is an NYS Workers’ Compensation Board Authorized medical provider. Sometimes you are required to stay within a chosen provided network when selecting a Worker’s Comp doctor.

Workers’ comp doctors are required to adhere to the regulations and rules of your care. These doctors are responsible for your ongoing care and recovery. They are in charge of many critical decisions that can affect your case.

Their findings will contribute to how much you will receive on your Worker’s Compensation claim.

If you are unhappy with your current worker’s compensation doctor, you may be able to switch to a different one. You and your employer can request to make a change to a different doctor.

What Doctor to See For Knee Pain

What is a knee specialist called? An Orthopedic doctor is someone who specializes in the treatment of injuries and conditions that affect muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments. They can treat broken bones and replace painful joints.

They will be your primary doctor for knee injuries, and pain caused, for example, at work or in an auto accident. An Orthopedic surgeon is an expert in the proper diagnosis of common knee injuries. They are skilled in both non-surgical and surgical treatments of the musculoskeletal system.

Because knee injury is a common workplace injury, many people who suffer workers’ compensation injuries need orthopedic treatment.

Depending on your injury, some common treatments provided by orthopedic doctors are:

• Medications
• Physical Therapy
• Surgery
• Injections
• Diagnostic imaging, such as x-rays and MRIs.

Orthopedic surgeons first explore nonsurgical options such as pain medication and rehabilitation. When needed, they have the expertise to perform surgery to repair your injury.

An orthopedic doctor should evaluate any knee pain that does not respond to rest or disappears soon after the work incident. Look for signs such as swelling deformity, inability to bend, discomfort when walking, increasing pain, and fever.

Workers Compensation and Knee Injuries Go Hand in Hand

You know you have a knee injury sustained from a work-related accident. Your knee pain refuses to go away, and you wonder how to pay for the medical expenses.

You are entitled to receive workers’ compensation benefits for your knee pain. New York State offers medical benefits for work injuries, and a network of WCB authorized doctors who will oversee your recovery.

Wondering what doctor to see for knee pain? Call us today to find the right doctor to see for knee pain and injury. Don’t delay, call 1-800-897-8440 today and get on your road to recovery!