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Workers’ compensation claims can become much more difficult to navigate when you have a pre-existing condition. Many workers are under the false impression that a prior injury or chronic health issue automatically disqualifies them from receiving benefits. This misconception prevents those workers from pursuing legitimate claims and getting the compensation they deserve for workplace injuries that have impacted their ability to work.

Pre-Existing Conditions Don’t Automatically Bar Workers’ Comp in Pennsylvania

In Pennsylvania, pre-existing conditions do not necessarily prevent someone from filing a workers’ compensation claim. The law understands that many workers have prior injuries or chronic conditions. What matters is whether your job duties or a specific incident that occurs in the workplace made those conditions worse.

For example, someone with a manageable back condition that became less manageable after lifting heavy boxes at work or one whose chronic pain only became debilitating after repetitive overhead tasks may still qualify for workers’ compensation. The job of your attorney will be to demonstrate that your employment contributed to making the condition worse.

How Aggravated Injuries Are Evaluated

Suffering from the following conditions won’t necessarily prevent you from having a successful workers’ compensation claim:

• Back injuries resulting from degenerative disc disease 
• Shoulder problems caused by rotator cuff issues
• Joint pain due to arthritis
• And other common injuries that can be exacerbated through labor. 

Whether workers’ compensation is warranted relies on medical evidence, not on previous status.

Your treating physician’s opinion will carry a significant amount of weight in linking your work duties to the worsening of your condition. To win, medical reports should provide clear documentation that your symptoms became worse after the incident than they were before it and that the incident itself was the cause of the degradation. Tests such as MRIs, X-rays, and CT scans provide objective proof of changes in conditions that correlate to your work activities.

Common Employer and Insurer Pushback

Insurance companies and employers will challenge medical proof in an attempt to deny the claim, taking aim directly at the pre-existing conditions. They often argue that current symptoms are a direct result of those pre-existing problems and that workplace conditions played no role. The argument is typically that conditions would have worsened on their own regardless of what happened at work.

This is why it’s so important that you seek medical treatment immediately after experiencing increased symptoms at work. To provide yourself with the strongest case, be honest with your doctor about your medical history and clearly explain how your work tasks made those problems worse. Being consistent in reporting to your medical providers to provide a solid history of your problems will increase your credibility and make it harder for insurers to dispute your claim.

Why Early Legal Help Makes a Difference

Much like going to a doctor as soon as the problem worsens, contacting an experienced workers’ compensation attorney early in the process can significantly improve the outcome of your claim. This is especially true when pre-existing conditions are involved, as they multiply the legal and medical complexities of the claim.

An attorney will help you gather and organize important medical evidence and ensure that your doctors provide reports that are comprehensive enough to counter insurance company tactics to minimize or deny a claim. Lawyers also know which medical experts can provide compelling testimony and present your case in the most effective way.

Discuss Your Case with Gross & Kenny Today

Don’t let a pre-existing condition discourage you from pursuing the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve. The attorneys at Gross & Kenny are experienced in obtaining compensation for injured workers. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your medical conditions and learn how we can fight for the compensation you need.

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