When you think about workers compensation, you probably think about a single traumatic event. But did you know that you can also receive worker's compensation for injuries due to repetitive injuries? You can.
What is Repetitive Stress Disorder?
A repetitive stress disorder—or injury—is an injury that is caused by repetitive motions. These kinds of injuries are most common in an office setting, but they can also occur in manufacturing plants and even construction.
Although these cases are often unheard of, they are the most popular. In fact, they account for more than 60-percent of all job-related injuries—and thousands of worker's compensation claims. Many of these injuries are found in the upper extremities (hands and wrists), while others are found in the back or legs.
What Types of Work Can Lead to Repetitive Stress Injuries?
The most common types of work that leads to repetitive stress injuries are found in office workers. Those who spend several hours per day on a computer often suffer from repetitive injuries in the fingers, hands, wrists, and elbows. Typing is the main culprit in office jobs, as many keyboards are not ergonomic and safe for the hands, wrists, and arms. Over time, individuals may develop carpal tunnel syndrome.
However, any job that requires you to stand still, or stay in a fixed position, for several hours can lead to repetitive stress injuries. Some other examples include:
- mechanics
- restaurant servers
- butchers
- cooks
- housekeepers
- masseuses
- grocery store clerks
- stockers
- professional drivers
- musicians
- cashiers
What Should You Do If You Believe You Have an Injury?
If you believe that you are suffering an injury due to repetitive motions at work, it is important that you visit a doctor. You should also notify your employer of the injury and file a claim for worker's compensation.
It is important that you pay attention to the warning signs that you may be developing—or suffering from—a repetitive stress injury and report it immediately. Because these injuries are smaller and on the vague side, it can take months of documentation and claims to win your case.
You should also contact a worker's compensation lawyer like Zavodnick, Perlmutter & Boccia LLC immediately, as these cases are often harder to win due to the nature of the injury. A skilled attorney can help you obtain legal documentation, doctor notes, and anything else that you may need regarding your case. They can also help you deal with your employer, in the event of a wrongful termination.
