WHAT IF I HAVE A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION THAT IS RE-INJURED IN MY WORK INJURY?

WHAT IF I HAVE A PRE-EXISTING CONDITION THAT IS RE-INJURED IN MY WORK INJURY?  

By Founding Partner/Attorney Chad Snow

Snow, Carpio & Weekley

As we all get older, our bodies break down and suffer degenerative changes.  Many people get regular treatment for chronic conditions, especially of the spine and joints, for years before their work injury. Then an unfortunate injury occurs to that same body part, turning that occasional chronic pain into a disabling, acute injury.  Insurance carriers always try to prove that all of the injured worker’s problems are due to the pre-existing condition.

However, many times we are successful in proving that the work injury caused either a temporary or a permanent aggravation of the pre-existing condition.  a temporary aggravation is one that eventually returns back to the baseline condition as it was before the injury.

A permanent aggravation is an injury that causes the pre-existing condition to be permanently worsened and causes a permanent reduction in function to the injured body part.  This is proven through medical testimony of a treating or examining physician who reviews your prior medical records and other testing done after the injury, and gives an opinion as to the extent to which your pre-existing condition was aggravated by your work injury.


For more information on Workers' Compensation or Social Security Disability, please contact Snow, Carpio & Weekley toll-free at 855-325-4781 or visit our website at www.workinjuryaz.com. We serve the entire State of Arizona and have offices located in Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma and Lake Havasu City.