Sciatica in Workers’ Compensation

Sciatica is an injury that is seen frequently by worker’s compensation lawyers. Many workers experience injuries such as sciatica while working on the job and it can cause a variety of problems for these people. Sciatica affects workers every day. Most people do not know what Sciatica is or how it can cause people to suffer, especially while working.

What Is Sciatica?

Sciatica is pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve, which branches from your lower back through your hips and buttocks and down each leg. Typically, sciatica affects only one side of your body, but in more extreme cases can affect the nerve on both sides. Sciatica most commonly occurs when a herniated disk, bone spur on the spine, or narrowing of the spine (spinal stenosis) compresses part of the nerve. This causes inflammation, pain and often some numbness in the affected leg.

Sciatica is an injury that is seen all too often in workers’ compensation cases. It is often caused by repetitive stress at work from:

• Sitting for long periods at a time (ex. Sitting at your desk during work or driving)
• Lifting or Carrying Heavy Object
• Bending over or twisting your back
• Other repetitive movements

When people obtain a work injury such as sciatica, they experience excruciating pain that can affect someone’s ability to work. Some of the common symptoms of Sciatica are:

• Lower back pain
• Pain in the rear or leg that is worse when sitting
• Hip pain
• Burning or tingling down the leg
• Weakness, numbness, or difficulty moving the leg or foot
• A constant pain on one side of the rear
• A shooting pain that makes it difficult to stand up

Symptoms of Sciatica such as these can bring all types of problems to the workplace. It can easily stop someone from doing their job or make it more difficult to perform your duties without accommodations. For example, it would be very difficult for someone who is a truck driver to do his/her job while being in agonizing pain from sitting down for many hours. People depend on their jobs to provide for themselves and their families. It would be devastating for a family when their bread winner can no longer provide for them or be able to put food on the table because of an injury such as Sciatica.

Even though that lower back pain is the main symptom of Sciatica, many people who have Sciatica also experience extreme numbness and weakness in their affected leg. This can also cause loss of bowel or bladder function. Symptoms such as these can create many problems for people doing their jobs or even doing regular activities such as hobbies and house hold related duties.

How is Sciatica Treated?

These are the common treatments for Sciatica:

• Self-care such as ice and heat packs
• Medication such as anti-inflammatories (NSAIDs) or muscle relaxants
• Physical therapy
• Surgery
• Chiropractic visits

If You Have Been Diagnosed with Sciatica, You Need Someone on Your Side

It can sometimes be difficult to prove that an injury like sciatica was caused due to work related duties. Extreme pain in the lower back and legs due to sciatica can also be caused by a person’s hobbies and out of work activities which is why you need an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer at your side.

Our attorneys can help guide you through the process of proving that your sciatica was caused by your work-related duties. They can also help alleviate much of the stress of a workers’ compensation case by dealing with your employer, the insurance company, and other parties involved in the case.

If you have suffered Sciatica because of what you do at work, or if you are unsure if the injury was because of work, call Michael J. O’Connor & Associates at 1-800-518-4529. Our Certified Workers’ Compensation specialists can help you win your compensation and get your life back on track.

Even if your company or workers’ compensation insurance carrier has denied your claim, we will do a free case review and let you know if we can help.