Generally speaking, if you have a pre-existing condition in Illinois, that doesn’t stop you from getting workers compensation benefits. But for some cases, if you have dealt with that injury previously, it will certainly raise some eyebrows. Vertigo can be one of those injuries.
While as little as 15 years ago, many people assumed having a head injury just meant that you “had your bell rung,” we now know that concussions are traumatic brain injuries and can lead to a whole set of problems. Vertigo is a symptom rather than a condition itself. It’s a feeling that the whole world around you is spinning or moving. It can be barely noticeable or so severe that performing your daily tasks is impossible.
Although there are a lot of different things that can cause vertigo, it can happen at work from hitting your head. And of course people hit their head all of the time at work. Vertigo is usually treatable and will go away, but it can also come back. So if you have a history of this problem, workers comp will likely say that you can’t prove the vertigo coming back is related to your job accident.
To win your case, you’d likely need to show that you had been without some vertigo related issues for quite some time and without head pain or other brain trauma. You’d then need to show that your dizziness, light headedness, headaches, etc started to happen soon after hitting your head at work. If they were problems you previously had, you’d have to show that they became much more severe and that your condition has deteriorated. Essentially it’s a chain of events that shows your condition is connected to a work related injury.
But because it can spontaneously re-appear or be caused by so many other things, proving work related vertigo is a little trickier than your average claim. As a result, you will need a credible neurologist to state in writing that your job accident caused or aggravated your condition and that your need for treatment is related to that happening. Don’t worry about getting this statement yourself. This is part of what a good work comp lawyer helps you obtain from your physician. Most importantly for your health though, you will want to treat with an experienced neurologist.
If your condition is work related, 100% of your medical bills will be covered and you will compensated for your time off of work. You also will be entitled to a settlement for how this will affect you in the future. If you would like to speak to an experienced head injury attorney about your case, you can contact us for free any time.