Medical literature defines arthritis as inflammation of a joint. While the most common cause of arthritis is wearing out of joint surface cartilage (osteoarthritis), plaintiffs attorneys need to be aware that arthritis can be a post-traumatic condition and the most valuable, complicated and disputed part of a claim.
Post-traumatic arthritis is caused by the wearing out of a joint that has had any kind of physical injury. The injury could be from a motor-vehicle accident, a fall or any other source of physical trauma, such as repetitive stresses at work. Such injuries can damage the cartilage and/or the bone, changing the mechanics of the joint and making it wear out more quickly. In other words, the arthritic process is accelerated or hastened by the injury.
