KNEE REPLACEMENTS IN WISCONSIN WORKER’S COMP

KNEE REPLACEMENTS IN WISCONSIN WORKER’S COMP

Knee injuries involving meniscus tears are common in the workplace.  Such injuries often involve a meniscus surgery, called a meniscectomy, and a successful return to work.  However, meniscus surgeries and other knee surgeries often lead to accelerated knee arthritis down the road.  As arthritis progresses over the years, the knee injured as a result of a work injury may need a total knee replacement.  Often times, these knee replacement surgeries relate back to the original work injury and knee surgery in the distant past.  It is important for workers with knee injuries to recognize that such knee replacement surgeries in the later years may be claimed as worker=s comp benefits.  Benefits associated with a total knee replacement include medical expenses, temporary disability for time off work, and a minimum of a 50% permanent partial disability rating at the affected knee.  These benefits may be claimed many years after the original work injury, because there is no statute of limitations on knee replacement claims.  As a result, any person having a total knee replacement with an old work related meniscus injury should consider consulting an attorney to see if a claim may be made.