Foot and Ankle Injury Claims in New Jersey

Your Regular Activities Might Be Significantly Impacted by Foot and Ankle Injuries, Which Can Make Even the Most Basic Tasks Impossible. Depending on Your Case, You May be Able to Obtain Compensation in New Jersey.

Foot and ankle injuries can occur while doing routine household duties, sports, work, or other activities such as dancing, skating, or something as simple as climbing a flight of stairs. You never really know to what extent foot and ankle injuries can make a daily living so much more complex and painful until you experience one. We don’t think about walking or running until we can’t do them. Something as simple as getting the mail or driving to the grocery store becomes an arduous task if it can be done at all. Depending on the severity of the injury, bearing weight on the injured foot or ankle may be impossible and require crutches or a wheelchair.

Ankle and foot injuries can be serious business when they affect your ability to work and care for your family in Wall, Lavallette, Long Branch, Middletown, Freehold, Rumson, Asbury Park, and throughout Monmouth County, and Southern New Jersey. If you have suffered from an ankle or foot injury, we may be able to help you seek damages and compensation from the person or business responsible. Depending on the details of your case, you could receive compensation for medical expenses, lost wages, and pain and suffering. To fully explore and understand your rights to recover damages for injuries to your foot or ankle that occurred in the workplace or due to an accident, speak to the experienced New Jersey injury lawyers at Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh. Contact our offices at (732) 440-3950 today for a free consultation.

Frequently Encountered Foot and Ankle Injuries in NJ

The foot has 26 bones, seven of which belong to the ankle. There are more than 100 muscles, ligaments, and tendons. There are also 33 joints, so it is no wonder the foot and ankle are so prone to injury. Stress fractures can occur in the metatarsals, navicular, calcaneus, and distal tibia or fibula. Traumatic fractures occur most often in the anterior process calcaneus, lateral talar process, posterior talar process, fifth metatarsal (base), distal fibula, and talus (osteochondral lesion).

Other injuries to the foot and ankle include tendon problems affecting the Achilles tendons, peroneal tendons, posterior tibial tendons, and Lisfranc injuries. Tendon injuries are sometimes diagnosed as ankle sprains. Crushing injuries, contusions, dislocations, puncture wounds, and soft tissue ruptures of ligaments, muscles, and tendons are common injuries.

A sprain is one of the most common injuries, with 25,000 people diagnosed with a sprained ankle per day in the U.S.  It happens when the ligaments are stretched due to awkward foot and ankle positioning. The ligament’s purpose is to keep the ankle joint and the bones in place, and when the ligament is stretched too far or ruptured, a sprain occurs. Sprains are divided into three categories. A grade one sprain has minimal tenderness and swelling and tolerates weight bearing without too much discomfort. A grade two sprain has moderate tenderness and swelling, decreased range of motion, bruising, and partial ligament tearing, requiring immobilization. Grade three has significant swelling, minimal range of motion, and tenderness; complete tear and rupture of ligaments may need surgical reconstruction.

Top Three Causes of Foot and Ankle Injuries

The most frequent cause is called the “ankle roll.”  This occurs when your foot lands on an uneven surface and rolls to the side (either interior or exterior), causing the ligaments to stretch beyond their capacity. This injury occurs when playing a sport, walking on an uneven surface (such as a broken sidewalk), tripping over something on the floor, or falling over a hazard in your path. Slip and falls at places of business are commonplace.

Work-related injuries to the feet and ankles are reported every day. Crushed or broken feet hit by falling equipment or inventory, amputated toes, lacerations, burns, and fractures are all possible injuries. Workers on the job for less than three months have pre-existing joint issues such as arthritis, circulatory disease, or diabetes are more susceptible to foot and ankle injuries.

Motorcycle accidents and car accidents also cause foot and ankle injuries. If motorcycle riders wear protective gear, such as boots, their injuries may not be as severe. Still, if they ride flip-flops, their injuries could be substantial, even requiring surgery or amputation. In car accidents, crushed feet and ankles could cause irreparable damage. Accidents involving 18-wheelers and motorcycles or passenger vehicles are another instance where damage could be done. Pedestrians, the most vulnerable people on the road, are at the mercy of drivers whose frequent Laodicean attitudes toward driving rules can put people in danger.

Symptoms That Help Doctors Identify Foot and Ankle Injuries

If you are experiencing pain when you stand on the potentially injured foot, observe bruising and swelling around the ankle or foot, or see bleeding or an open wound, you should see a doctor immediately. The doctor will complete a thorough exam, assessing the mobility of your foot and requesting tests such as an X-ray or MRI to confirm the injury. You should always see a doctor if severe pain continues for over a few hours. Extensive swelling and bruising are other indications that your injury requires medical attention. If your foot or ankle are deformed, bones or tendons are exposed, or you are bleeding profusely, you must go to the doctor. Numbness, tingling, and sharp pain upon standing or touching the injured area are severe signs of injury. If you heard a distinct popping sound at the moment of injury, there is most likely severe soft tissue damage, such as a ruptured tendon, ligament, or muscle. In all of these cases, see a doctor as soon as possible.

Foot and Ankle Injuries Can Have a Significant Impact on Overall Health

You wouldn’t think something as benign as a foot or ankle injury could significantly impact your health, but it can. Going up and down stairs requires balance and stability. A foot or ankle injury can make navigating a flight or more stairs exhausting. Walking and standing can be painful, and using crutches can produce blisters on your hands and cause tenderness under your arms. If you don’t get the hang of them quickly, using crutches can practically be another hazard in itself!

When you are at home, reaching for something on a high shelf could cause you to lose your balance if you stand on one foot. Daily tasks such as bathing, cooking, doing laundry, preparing meals, and taking care of other family members are hindered by your injury. Driving can become unsafe, depending on how badly you are injured, especially if you drive a stick shift. If you drive an automatic, but your right foot is the side that is damaged, using your left foot can be hazardous. Speaking of safety, if you need to use specialized footwear for work (such as steel-toed boots), that may not be possible with a swollen, bandaged foot and ankle.

When you are accustomed to engaging in sports or going to the gym, a sedentary lifestyle may have you feeling isolated. Your injuries may require you to modify your workouts and can affect your motivation. You could develop anxiety concerning your overall physical fitness. If such is the case, seeking counseling to manage your stress regarding the repercussions of your injury can sometimes be beneficial.

Chronic pain can arise after the supposed healing period, possibly delaying your ability to return to the life you were missing. Muscle atrophy and weakness because you haven’t used your injured appendage for weeks, combined with joint stiffness and a decreased range of motion, can hopefully be resolved with physical therapy. There are severe psychological and emotional consequences when an injury affects mobility. Emotional distress, anxiety, and depression can overwhelm even the most patient when your regular activities and job are off the schedule while you recover. You may experience loneliness and frustration because you cannot do what you are used to. You may become anxious because of the financial impact your injury has. You need to take time off work for recovery; depending on your injury’s severity, you could miss months of work.

Treatments Available to Seek Rehabilitation

The most severe injuries are treated with surgery. Exposed fractures, crushed bones, circulation blockages, ripped ligaments, and ruptured tendons are frequently repaired with surgery. Mild sprains can be treated using the RICE method. Rest as much as you can. Ice the injured area for 20 to 30 minutes several times per day. Use compression with ace bandages and elevate your ankle or foot above heart level for a few days.

Rehabilitation can decrease pain and increase mobility. Electrode stimulation can be used to control swelling. Water, strengthening, and range of motion exercises should begin as soon as you can do them without intense discomfort. Completing the rehabilitation program drawn up for you is extremely important. If you do not finish it, you leave yourself open to more injuries in the future.

Useful Tips to Prevent Injuries to Your Feet and Ankles

Proper footwear is a must. Flip-flops are for the beach. They are not intended as walking or driving shoes. They offer your feet zero in terms of support and protection. Sandals with straps going across your feet are better, but if they don’t support your foot, you could be more prone to injury. Warm up before any physical activity. Wear proper footwear at all times. For example, if the sidewalks are covered in ice, put on shoes or boots that will grip rather than tennis shoes.

Frequently, injuries occur when we are not watching where we are going. Avoid injuries walking on sidewalks with holes or open grates by paying attention to where you put your feet. The text message you need to read or send can wait a few seconds while you step to the side and stop walking for a minute.

Let our Dedicated Lawyers Handle Your Foot and Ankle Injury Claim in Monmouth County, NJ

You don’t want to wait another minute to find out what you can do legally in the face of foot or ankle injuries in New Jersey. The statute of limitations on personal injury lawsuits is two years from the date of the accident. That may seem like a long time, but building a case isn’t done overnight.  Our New Jersey ankle and foot attorneys at Chamlin, Uliano & Walsh are ready to fight on your behalf to recover compensation. Count on us when you need professional legal representation with a knowledgeable legal team. We can help you with your workers’ compensation claim if your injury occurred while on the job, or in another unfortunate accident on someone else’s property, on the road, or elsewhere in New Jersey. No matter what, our legal team works hard to exceed expectations.

Call us today at (732) 440-3950 or complete the short contact form located here. When you need a firm you can trust, look no further.