ORTHOPEDIC OCCUPATIONAL KNEE INJURIES By: Steven Babitsky, Esq. When are knee injuries compensable under workers' compensation? Often overlooked in the analysis of the claim is the mechanism of injury. What actually happened to the claimant and his knee at work? For ligament injuries, a direct blow can cause: Bone bruises [...]
Carpal Tunnel Workers’ Compensation Claims By: Steven Babitsky, Esq. Carpal tunnel workers' compensation claims are not as prevalent as most Workers' Compensation and occupational health professionals have been lead to believe. The recent California Workers' Compensation Institute study indicates that over an 11 year span carpal tunnel claims accounted for [...]
Causation of Workers’ Compensation Claims & Occupational Injuries By: Steven Babitsky, Esq. One of the best methods for employers, insurers, and self-insurers to reduce workers' compensation costs is to deny claims that are truly not work-related. The confusion about which claims are truly defensible costs employers millions of dollars a [...]
Lifting Programs Reduce Workers’ Compensation Costs By: Steven Babitsky, Esq. A recent study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine found that lifting programs do reduce workers’ compensation costs in long-term care facilities. The article, Safe Listing Programs at Long-Term Care Facilities and Their Impact on Workers’ Compensation [...]
Mechanism of Injury: What every Occupational Health Professional Needs to Know An aged employee stands all day driving a stand up lift and reports knee pain to the Occupational Health Nurse. Through the treatment provided, the medical provider diagnoses the injured worker with a knee sprain and meniscus tear. During [...]
A recent article in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine (JOEM) "Medical Care Savings From Workplace Wellness Programs" concluded that under ideal circumstances, lowering risk factors could reduce annual medical costs for working adults by over 18%. The risk factors considered were: Smoking Hypertension Hypercholesterolemia Overweight/obesity Physical inactivity Alcohol [...]
Occupational Shoulder Injuries and Pain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izXYwdb228U Excerpted from the SEAK DVD Set: Advanced Orthopedics for Workers' Compensation & Occupational Health Professionals Alan S. Curtis, MD discusses the differential diagnosis of the most common shoulder injuries in the workplace. He explains the symptoms, work-up and treatment of impingement of the shoulder and the indications of surgery [...]
Occupational Meniscus Tear Injuries http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OEul_3o0-0 Excerpted from the SEAK DVD Set: Advanced Orthopedics for Workers’ Compensation & Occupational Health Professionals Paul Weitzel, MD reviews the common occupational knee injuries and focused diagnoses. He presents a video overview of common knee procedures, new technologies in knee treatment and the common pitfalls in treatment and recovery. Dr. [...]
Occupational Low Back Pain http://youtu.be/06zYbblJznw Excerpted from the SEAK DVD Set: Advanced Orthopedics for Workers' Compensation & Occupational Health Professionals Lumbar Spine Injuries in the Worker Eric Phillip Carkner, MD discusses, presents and explains appropriate initial evaluation and management, and the appropriate use of non-operative treatment including injections and physical therapy. When is [...]
Occupational Finger Tip Injuries http://youtu.be/pyavXDzKecA Excerpted from the SEAK DVD Set: Advanced Orthopedics for Workers' Compensation & Occupational Health Professionals Occupational Hand & Arm Conditions: Diagnosis, Treatment and Prognosis Andrew Jawa, MD discusses common workplace related injuries and diagnoses of the hand, wrist and elbow. The anatomy, clinical examination and pathogenesis of [...]