Many people don’t realize just how important their ligaments are until they are injured and then find that the pain can be excruciating. Pulled or torn ligaments happen when a joint is abnormally stretched. Ligaments are tough natural fibers that hold the ends of bones together at a joint, so when they are pulled the joint can become swollen, tender and often cannot move as it should. Pulled ligament injuries often happen at work when workers handle heavy, awkward loads. They can also occur when a slip, trip and fall accident occurs. These sorts of accidents are quite common occurrences in a very busy workspace such as a typical Walmart Supercenter. Fortunately, a pulled ligament injury can be treated and left to recover while obtaining compensation from a workers’ compensation payment. Talk to an attorney about how to make a claim. Walmart – a Commercial Success Born in Arkansas Walmart is probably one of North America’s best known supermarket and department store chains, with around 12,000 stores across the U.S. and Canada. Like many commercial success stories, it began as an experiment. Providing discount priced items to customers who arrived in their automobiles in the post 2nd World War boom times was an instant hit. Although Walmart’s founder, Sam Walton, started his first variety store in Arkansas, it didn’t take long before it caught on elsewhere. Walmart may not have spread far beyond North America, but it is reputed to be the world’s largest commercial employer with a total work force of over 2 million. It’s not surprising that accidents of one sort or another happen every day. How a Pulled Ligament Could Affect Your Ability To Work When a ligament is pulled beyond its normal shape and size, it hurts. The damage usually results in a swollen joint, tenderness and a limited ability to move the affected joint. Typical places where a ligament is injured are the ankle, wrist, shoulder and leg. Wherever the injury occurs, it would make doing the same sort of work intolerable and would probably simply prolong the period of recovery and may even make the injury worse. There is no reason to play the wounded super hero as it is much better to take time off to allow your ligament to heal. It is important to get the injured joint treated professionally before going back to work. Why Workers’ Compensation Is Needed After any Workplace Related Injury A pulled ligament may take several weeks to heal sufficiently to allow you to return to work without making the injury worse. That could become an expensive and demoralizing experience if you could not obtain workers’ compensation. A successful payment pays for medical treatment for the injury, as well as a good portion, if not all, of the income that you had anticipated earning if the injury had not occurred. Basically, obtaining workers’ comp. allows you time to recover properly so that you can do your job again with ease. Why You Should Hire an Experienced Workers’ Comp. Attorney If you hire a workers’ comp. attorney you can get advice and ensure your claim is properly supported by documentary evidence. In the event that Walmart’s insurer tries to avoid paying or denies the claim the attorney will have the experience to guide you through the appeal process and negotiate on your behalf with Walmart and its insurer. Disclaimer The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against Walmart, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation. Helpful Resources Can a Torn Ankle Ligament Qualify for Workers' Comp? What to Do After a Walmart Injury
