Degenerative Bone or Joint disease

Massachusetts Disability Attorneys

The Massachusetts disability attorneys at Kantrovitz & Associates are dedicated to helping injured employees find justice. We have recovered workers’ compensation benefits for numerous clients harmed by degenerative bone or joint disease. We are proud to represent workers injured in Boston, Middlesex, Essex, Norfolk, Plymouth, Suffolk, and Merrimack Valley. We also serve residents in other areas of Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and New Hampshire.

Degenerative Bone or Joint Disease

Constant “wear and tear” eventually causes the degeneration of bones and joints. While keeping a healthy weight is important to relieving stress on the joints, job-related osteoarthritis is common. Degenerative joint disease can be caused by a variety of work factors, including:

• Lifting, bending
• Climbing heights
• Repetitive motion
• Packing or loading
• Reaching overhead
• Prior shoulder injury
• Computer key strokes
• Assembly, construction
• Constant standing, sitting

Osteoarthritis or degenerative joint disease is essentially the loss of cartilage and connective tissue surrounding joints. Unlike osteoporosis and arthritis, degeneration is caused by high bone density associated with free radical damage. The cartilage, in turn, deteriorates over time.

Degenerative Joint Disease and Work

Without the protective cartilage and soft tissue cushioning the bone, the body loses the ability to move smoothly. Instead, the bones rub against each other, exacerbating deterioration in the joints. Over 20 million workers suffer from degenerative joint disease in the United States. This affects their ability to get and maintain work because the disability is often characterized by:

• Constant pain
• Difficulty walking
• Grinding sensation
• Fused or stiff joints
• Bone growths, spurs
• Swelling or tenderness
• Limited range of motion
• Joint numbness, weakness
• Permanent joint deformity

Worn-through cartilage forces the bone to grow at the surface, requiring joint replacement surgery. Left untreated, degenerative bone or joint disease can totally immobilize workers, preventing their gainful employment. When a degenerative disease is caused or exacerbated by work, employees are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.

Workers’ Compensation Benefits

Massachusetts law requires that employers and insurers pay monthly benefits to workers injured on the job. Degenerative bone or joint disease is a common work-related injury that can require extensive care. After 5 days, injured workers may be entitled to benefits that include coverage for:

• Loss of income
• Physical therapy
• Medical expenses
• Cortisone injections
• Replacement surgery
• Lump-sum settlement
• Prescription medication
• Vocational rehabilitation
• Modification of work duty

Weekly payments begin on the 6th day out of work, unless the degenerative condition lasts for more than 21 days. Massachusetts employers and their insurance companies must provide workers’ compensation benefits until employees receive medical clearance to return to work.

Recovering Workers’ Compensation

If your degenerative bone or joint disease is job-related or exacerbated by work, the Massachusetts workers’ compensation lawyers at Kantrovitz & Associates can help. For over 20 years, we have helped injured workers recover the compensation they deserve. At Kantrovitz & Associates, we know that diligent workers hate to miss a day of work for simple aches and pains. But we believe that osteoarthritis is a severe condition that merits treatment and recovery. Let us help you obtain the benefits you need. Call 800-367-0871 for a free consultation or contact us online.