Gastonia workers’ compensation ankle injury settlements resolve workplace injury claims. The worker and the employer may agree to a settlement for benefits payable. To qualify, a person must be injured on the job and seek benefits through workers’ compensation.
Our experienced Gastonia workers compensation lawyers at Horton & Mendez, Injury & Car Accident Attorneys explain compensation for an ankle injury at work in Gastonia, NC.
Ankle Injuries in the Workplace
One study reported 96,000 foot and ankle workplace injuries, resulting in missed work in a one-year period in the United States. The study’s average workers’ compensation claim for ankle injury was worth $39,021.36 (adjusted to 2025 dollars).
When the employee qualifies for workers’ compensation, they don’t have to prove the employer’s fault to receive compensation. It’s important to understand what benefits you may qualify to receive and how ankle injuries are valued in Gastonia, NC, workers’ compensation settlements.
Common Work-Related Accidents That Cause Ankle Injuries
Common causes of ankle injuries in the workplace include the following:
- Slip and fall, trip and fall
- Crushing incidents
- The leg being twisted or stuck in moving equipment
- Repetitive movement, ankle overuse
- Machinery malfunction or misuse
- The leg being run over
- Escalator and elevator malfunction
- Slippery flooring, broken flooring, or inadequate footwear, causing a misstep
- Jostling crowds
- Working on ladders, scaffolding, or railings
- Heavy lifting, crouching, or poor positioning for tasks
Types of Ankle Injuries Covered Under NC Workers’ Comp
Types of ankle injuries that may be covered include:
- Bone fractures, breaks, or crushing, stress fractures
- Sprains and strains, eversion and inversion sprains
- Torn muscles and ligaments
- Cuts, lacerations
- Injury to connective tissue of the tibia and fibula
- Amputation, loss of the foot at the ankle
- Achilles tendon rupture, tendonitis
- Peroneal tendon injuries
If an ankle injury requires medical attention, it may qualify for North Carolina workers’ compensation. Report the injury to your employer, both verbally and in writing, as soon as possible. Always report the injury within 30 days.
How Gastonia Workers’ Comp Settlements Are Calculated
Gastonia workers’ comp settlements for ankle injury are calculated by the benefits the person qualifies to receive and other factors.
A workers’ comp ankle surgery settlement doesn’t always include the right to future medical care, so it’s crucial to understand the terms of the settlement. An attorney can help.
What Affects the Value of an Ankle Injury Settlement?
The value of an ankle injury settlement depends on several factors.
- Wages before injury
- Amount of medical treatment needed, including surgery, therapy, and other treatment
- Missed work
- Whether the person can perform any work during treatment
- Permanent physical impairment, impairment rating, body parts affected
- Questions of whether the claim is disqualified for any reason
- Whether medical care is included in the settlement
Understanding ankle injury disability ratings
The North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act Schedule of Injuries determines how many weeks of compensation a person receives for a specific body part. The person receives 66 2/3 of their average weekly wage for the body part affected, multiplied by their percentage impairment rating.
The Schedule of Injuries lists body parts like hands, fingers, and eyes. But the Schedule doesn’t have a listing for the ankle. Instead, the ankle is evaluated as an impairment of the foot, which includes the entire leg below the knee.
The disability rating for an ankle injury depends on ankylosis (i.e. joint immobility) and limitation of motion. The rating guide lists degrees of motion and the corresponding percentage to assign.
Lump Sum vs. Weekly Benefits for Ankle Injuries
A settlement usually resolves a workers’ compensation claim through a lump sum payment. The employer makes one payment or one last payment, and the case ends. A settlement may be structured with periodic payments.
By contrast, weekly benefits compensate a person for missed work due to an ankle injury. It’s common for a person to receive weekly income benefits while they are undergoing medical care. An attorney can assist you with the timing for a lump sum vs. weekly benefits for an ankle injury.
How To Strengthen Your Workers’ Comp Claim
Here are things you can do to strengthen your workers’ comp claim for an ankle injury.
Report the injury
You may think you are only slightly injured. You may decide to wait to tell the employer, hoping that it will be better in a few days. But then the injury worsens.
Now, the employer is questioning whether the injury occurred in the workplace. By waiting to report the injury, you leave room for the employer to question the relationship of the injury to employment. Make a formal injury report as soon as possible.
Get timely medical care
Timely medical care creates a record of the severity of the injury, as close as possible to the events causing the injury. Stay within medical restrictions. For example, if you’re told to avoid weight-bearing on the ankle, you don’t want the employer to have witnesses or find social media images of you violating the care plan.
Document everything
Document everything related to the case. Save copies of correspondence with the employer and insurance company. Create a log of your medical care, travel for medical care, lost work, and incidental expenses.
Investigate your medical needs
Workers’ compensation insurers may try to minimize their costs by downplaying medical need.
They may recommend a scooter or a brief course of physical therapy when you need surgery. A way to boost your workers’ compensation claim is to thoroughly investigate your injuries. If you disagree with the provider’s recommendations, an attorney can help you take your case to a hearing.
Pursue your case
Sometimes, it’s necessary to take your case to a hearing or to mediation to receive the benefits you deserve. Form 33 is the North Carolina Industrial Commission form to request a hearing.
You can ask for a hearing if your claim is denied or to resolve disputes about coverage.
Hire an attorney early
An attorney can assist you with your workers’ compensation ankle injury settlement, evaluate the benefits you deserve, and represent your interests.
When To Consult a Gastonia Workers’ Compensation Attorney
Consult a Gastonia workers’ compensation attorney immediately if you sustained an ankle injury on the job. Horton & Mendez, Injury & Car Accident Attorneys, help clients with workers’ comp ankle injury settlements. Call or message us now.
