Being a nurse in a hospital setting is certainly a rewarding and satisfying job. What most of us don’t see, however, is how physically demanding nursing can be. The lawyers at Ankin Law understand this and are always there to help when nurses get injured on the job. Recently, Ankin Law attorney, Scott Goldstein met a nurse who suffered four separate injuries over four years of working at the University of Illinois Hospital. She needed help securing workers’ compensation benefits for her injuries. Mr. Goldstein was sympathetic to her situation and represented her recently when her four cases went to arbitration. There was no offer from the hospital before the trial for any of the four injuries. In a rather unusual move, all four of her injury cases were consolidated during the arbitration. The net trial award for the four consolidated cases totaled $300,094.79.
In the four years working at the UI Hospital her injuries were well documented. In 2020 she injured the lower right side of her back when she was restraining a combative patient. In 2021 she strained her left shoulder when a combative patient tried to push past her in a doorway. In 2022 she injured her back and left shoulder when she slipped and fell on spilled coffee at work. And in 2024 she sprained her left shoulder positioning a patient in a bed.
Over those years her injuries were treated with conservative measures on her lower back and left shoulder. She also endured left shoulder surgery, painful low back treatment, and was saddled with permanent work restrictions.
During the arbitration proceedings Mr. Goldstein showed that the injured nurse deserved fair compensation for each injury that occurred in the course of her work. These injuries were responsible for causing her to miss work and endure a lot of pain. The arbitrator agreed and awarded the nurse Temporary Total Disability, Medical Benefits, and Permanent Partial Disability.
Below is a breakdown of the awards for each injury:
2020 lower right side of her back injury:
TTD = $2,790.05 – $2,790.07 (TTD credit for TTD paid) = – .02
Medical = $71,055.41
Permanency = $20,917.25
NET TRIAL AWARD = $91,972.64
[Read the full Arbitrator Decision here]
2021 left shoulder strain:
TTD = $3,747.75 – $3,747.75 (TTD credit for TTD paid) = $0
Medical = 0
Permanency = $13,075.95
NET TRIAL AWARD = $13,075.95
[Read the full Arbitrator Decision here]
2022 back and left shoulder injury from a slip and fall:
TTD = $74,022.95 – $74,022.95 (TTD credit for TTD paid) = $0
Medical = $52,975.86
Permanency = $128,852.62
NET TRIAL AWARD = $181,828.48
[Read the full Arbitrator Decision here]
2024 left shoulder sprain:
TTD = $19,274.76 – $19,460.03 (TTD credit for TTD paid) = $-185.26
Medical = $3,154.28
Permanency = $10,248.70
NET TRIAL AWARD = $13,217.72
[Read the full Arbitrator Decision here]
The injured nurse did not return to work for the University of Illinois after the 2024 injury.
She is, however, employed as a nurse elsewhere as of the time of the hearing.
