Foot drop is a general term that describes the difficulty to flex your foot. Instead, your foot might drag on the ground as you try to walk.
Foot drop is not necessarily a condition itself, but usually a symptom that something else is wrong, such as a neurological condition or an issue in your muscles. And they can be a result of your job.
Here’s what you need to understand about foot drop and how it may relate to a work injury.
How Your Job Can Lead to Foot Drop
Your foot can sometimes drop as a result of:
- Nerve damage – pinched nerves is one of the most common causes of foot drop, which can be caused by direct injuries or even repetitive motions
- Muscle injuries – if the muscles weaken, you may lose the ability to flex your foot properly. The injuries can be caused by direct blows or even repetitive motions that put too much strain on them for long periods of time
- Brain disorders – such as ALS, multiple sclerosis, or even strokes.
Brain disorders aside, some occupations make you far more likely to experience foot droop, as they involve putting too much pressure on your foot, or force you to repeat the same motions / stay in the same posture for hours on end. Risk factors for drop foot include:
- Prolonged squatting or kneeling
- Sitting with your legs crossed
- Wearing improper boots that enclose the ankle and put pressure on the peroneal nerve.
How to Get Compensated
One of the first things you should do is to speak with a St. Louis worker’s compensation lawyer. Drop foot is not a common work-related injury, and in most cases, it’s a result of the long-term activity.
Injuries that aren’t caused by a big, singular event can be a lot more problematic in workers’ comp claims because they pose the question: is the injury actually caused by your job? As a result, you will need to show the insurance company, without a shadow of a doubt, that your drop foot is indeed a consequence of your job. A lawyer can help you achieve it by:
- Contacting expert witnesses
- Prove that your job does put you at risk for foot drop
- Protect your rights, which the insurance company may overlook
In a workers’ compensation claim, the issue of fault is non-existent. For instance, if your foot drop is caused by you sitting with your legs crossed at your desk, you are still generally eligible for compensation. The insurance company may try to argue you’re not, and some injured workers can even end up withdrawing their claim not realizing that legally it doesn’t matter who caused the injury, as long as the overall context was linked to their employment.
Speak With a Missouri Work Injury Lawyer
If you’re experiencing foot drop as a result of your employment, get in touch with our experienced legal time 24/7 for a free case evaluation.