Workers' Compensation Law Firm in Vermont

The Law Office of Charles L. Powell PLLC, has stood up for clients against major employers like Wal-Mart, UPS, Fair Point Communications, and has stood up for clients against major insurers like Liberty Mutual Insurance, MEMIC, and Travelers Insurance, and others, to assert the claims of clients and make their voices heard.

I welcome the opportunity to bring these large corporate entities to account and recover for clients the benefits they need to recover from their workplace injuries.

Call an Experienced Vermont Work Injury Attorney

No one ever expects to be injured on the job and, when it happens, it's normal to not know what your options are or if you're being fairly treated by your employer's insurer.

I have more than 30 years' experience in the legal field and am a knowledgeable Vermont workers' compensation lawyer who is not only dedicated to asserting my clients' rights, but also has previous experience representing insurers — giving me a unique understanding of these matters and how to pursue the benefits my clients need. 

Pre-Existing Injuries under Workers' Compensation

Remember the phrase “the straw that broke the camel’s back”? That camel was hurting from years of carrying heavy loads but could still come to work—until the day its owner added on that one little straw that brought the camel to its knees. That’s how workers’ compensation treats pre-existing conditions.

Let’s say that you begin working for your employer with a bad back. Despite this pre-existing condition, you still are able to perform the job successfully. However, if your duties somehow “aggravate” the condition and cause you to become disabled, this “aggravation” of a “pre-existing condition” is covered under workers’ compensation.

Some progressive pre-existing conditions, such as osteoarthritis, may eventually cause disability even without a specific new injury. But if a doctor confirms that the work activities or a work injury “accelerated” the progression and caused a disability to occur “earlier than expected,” the disability is legally speaking a new injury that is covered by workers’ compensation.

Pre-existing conditions also can become a part of your case if there is a question of eligibility for permanent total disability benefits. Sometimes referred to as the “odd lot doctrine,” the specific characteristics of the injured worker such as age, experience, training, education, and mental capacity are included in the determination whether the injured worker is able to return to regular, paid employment.

Contact the Law Office of Charles L. Powell, PLLC today to get started.