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Will Workers Compensation Cover a Gout Flare?

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According to the Mayo Clinic, gout is a complex form of arthritis that unfolds as sudden and severe pains or tenderness in the joints, often at the base of your big toe.

The most common reasons for gout almost everyone thinks of are an improper diet and obesity. By this account, it doesn’t seem like treatment for gout could possibly be covered by worker’s comp benefits, unless you argue that it’s part of your job to eat ‘unhealthy’ foods or something of the sort.

However, just because these are the most common causes, doesn’t mean they’re the only ones.

Other Causes of Gout

Gout can occur when urate crystals accumulate in your joints and cause inflammation. This can lead to a gout flare, which presents with high levels of pain. These crystals usually form when you have very high levels of uric acid in your blood, an acid your body produces to break down purines, which can be found in certain foods. This is the connection gout has with your diet.

This inflammation can also be caused by:

  • Certain medications
  • Family history
  • Surgery
  • Or trauma

If you sustain an accident at work, it is possible to trigger gout. When you get injured, your body goes into a state of inflammation, which is your system’s way of helping you heal. In some cases, the process of inflammation can linger even if the threat is removed, leading even to gout. As a result, it is completely possible for your condition to be a direct result of your work.

How to Get Compensated

For conditions that aren’t as visibly linked to your job, you essentially have to make a case that shows your gout (or any other condition) is a direct result of your work activity. Workers comp will only cover injuries or illnesses that have directly resulted from your job, be it the activity or the environment.

Because gout can be caused by trauma, one integral part of your case constitutes the accident you’ve sustained. Then, you’ll need to bring in the opinion of a medical expert that can help you show your gout is not caused by something other than your work, such as family history or medications you take.

The process itself can be extremely complex since you are dealing with insurance adjusters that will most likely investigate your claim.

Speak With a Workers Compensation Attorney

To make sure you get compensated for your gout treatment, please get in touch with an experienced St. Louis workers compensation attorney as soon as possible. Proving gout is work-related is difficult, but far from impossible, and a good lawyer can help protect your legal rights.

Updated: March 27, 2020
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