When you file a workers’ compensation claim, any preexisting condition could become a factor in the claim decision. Preexisting conditions existed before the injury occurred. In some cases, they may contribute to the injury that you sustain.
Understand how a preexisting condition affects your workers’ compensation claim before you file.
Establishing a connection
Any relationship between your workers’ compensation claim and a preexisting condition is problematic. You may need medical evidence that your injury did not result from your preexisting condition. Gather documentation to reinforce the validity of your claim.
Determining compensation
In Virginia, aggravations of preexisting conditions are compensable. So for instance, if you had a problem with your knee but were able to work with the pain and you suffered a new accident that injured your knee further causing you to be unable to work, your disability form work would likely be compensable.
Pursuing medical treatment
When you have a preexisting condition, it creates new challenges for treating your work injury. Your care provider will consider how any treatment for your work injury might affect the existing condition before determining the best treatment solution. The goal is to treat the work injury without causing complications for your preexisting condition.
According to the State of Virginia’s Workers’ Compensation report, workers reported more than 37,000 workplace injuries in 2022. Protect your chance at a settlement for your injury with a thorough understanding of how your preexisting condition may affect the process.