Arizona Workers’ Comp and Severe Hip Injuries
The hip joint is the central pivot point for the human body, bearing our weight and enabling mobility. When a worker suffers a severe hip injury—whether from a catastrophic fall from a scaffold, a crush injury involving heavy machinery, or a violent slip and fall on a wet surface—the impact is immediately debilitating. In the most severe cases, the only viable medical solution is a total hip replacement.
At Arizona’s Work Injury Firm, we represent workers whose lives have been upended by severe orthopedic traumas. Navigating an Arizona workers’ compensation claim involving a hip replacement is highly complex, primarily because of how the state classifies injuries to the hip joint.
The “Unscheduled” Nature of Hip Injuries
In Arizona workers’ compensation law, permanent injuries are classified as either “scheduled” (specific extremities like an arm, leg, hand, or foot) or “unscheduled” (the head, neck, back, or torso).
While an injury to the leg is a scheduled injury, the hip joint itself is considered part of the pelvis/torso. Therefore, severe injuries to the hip joint—especially those requiring a total hip arthroplasty (replacement)—are classified as unscheduled injuries.
This is a critical distinction for your financial future. Scheduled injuries pay out a predetermined amount for a set number of months. Unscheduled injuries, however, are evaluated based on your “Loss of Earning Capacity” (LEC).
How a Hip Replacement Affects Earning Capacity
A total hip replacement is a major surgical intervention. While modern prosthetics are excellent, a replaced hip is never quite the same as a natural, healthy joint. Post-surgery, workers are almost always left with permanent permanent physical restrictions. Your orthopedic surgeon will likely impose permanent limits on heavy lifting, prolonged standing, climbing ladders, or repetitive bending and squatting.
If you are a construction worker, a warehouse associate, or a nurse, these permanent restrictions often mean you can never return to your previous profession. This is where the Loss of Earning Capacity evaluation comes into play.
The Industrial Commission of Arizona (ICA) will look at your pre-injury wages and compare them to what you are capable of earning in the open labor market with your new physical restrictions. If your hip replacement forces you into a lower-paying light-duty job, or renders you entirely unemployable, you are entitled to ongoing monthly disability benefits to compensate for that lost earning power. Because a hip replacement permanently alters your physical capabilities, it often results in a high-value settlement.
The Fight Over Future Medical Care
A hip replacement is not a one-and-done procedure. Prosthetic joints wear out over time. A worker who receives a hip replacement in their 40s or 50s will almost certainly require a “revision surgery” (a second replacement) 15 to 20 years down the line.
When negotiating a final settlement for a hip injury, the insurance company must factor in the massive future costs of revision surgeries, ongoing physical therapy, and long-term pain management. Insurance carriers will fiercely fight to minimize these projected costs. Having an attorney who can present comprehensive medical cost projections from orthopedic experts is the only way to ensure you are not left paying out of pocket for a surgery you will need a decade from now.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Will workers’ comp pay for my hip replacement surgery?
Yes. If your treating orthopedic surgeon determines that a hip replacement is medically necessary to treat your work-related injury, the workers’ compensation insurance carrier is required to cover the full cost of the surgery, hospitalization, and rehabilitation.
What if I already had arthritis in my hip before the work accident?
This is a very common scenario. If a workplace accident “aggravates, accelerates, or combines with” a pre-existing condition (like arthritis) to the point that you now require a hip replacement, the surgery is generally covered under Arizona law. The insurance company takes you as they find you.
How long will I be off work after a hip replacement?
Recovery times vary, but most workers are entirely off work for several months following a total hip replacement. During this time, you are entitled to temporary total disability benefits to replace a portion of your lost wages.
Do Not Settle for Less Than Your Future Demands
A hip replacement alters the physical foundation of your body and the trajectory of your career. The insurance company has teams of lawyers working to minimize their financial exposure; you need a dedicated advocate fighting for you. Contact the Arizona workers’ compensation lawyers at Arizona’s Work Injury Firm today for a free consultation. We will fight to secure the comprehensive medical care and financial compensation your severe injury demands.