Workers Comp for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Orange County Attorneys Explain Getting
Workers Comp for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome –
Most office workers never think that they will get injured at work . . . let alone that they may one day need to file for workers’ comp. But it’s not just dangerous machinery or heavy lifting that causes work injuries. Performing the same work day-in and day-out can “wear out” the body – until it just can’t keep doing it anymore.
The type of “cumulative trauma” that results from doing the same task over and over is called a repetitive stress injury. In other words, repeating the same action over months or years can lead to a serious workplace injury that can keep an employee from being able to work.
Who Gets Carpal Tunnel Syndrome in the Workplace?
The most common repetitive stress injury (or “RSI”) is carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal Tunnel syndrome typically results from long hours of secretarial work, typing, word processing, data entry, or other keyboard / mouse work. Cashier work, lifting boxes over-and-over, or performing repetitive tasks on an assembly line can also give rise to Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.
Women are three times more likely to suffer carpal tunnel syndrome than men. This is in part because women typically hold a greater number of clerical jobs than men. However, it is also due to the fact that a women’s arms & wrists are usually smaller men’s – and so they are more susceptible to repetitive stress injury.
The symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include severe pain, tingling numbness or weakness in the hand or arm due to the repeated movements of the hand and/or wrist.
Signs of a Carpal Tunnel Work Injury
- Pain in the hand, wrist, arm or shoulder
- Tingling or numbness in the hand, wrist or arm
- Wrist when bending the wrist
- Unable to grip an object without pain
- Dull pain in the forearm between the elbow and wrist
- Stiffness in the hand and/or fingers – which may be worse in the morning
- Weak fingers that are unable to pinch objects
Getting Workers Comp for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Unfortunately, a repetitive injury such as Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can be harder to prove – even though it can be painful and debilitating. This can make collecting workers comp payments for a carpal tunnel work injury difficult.
Employers will frequently deny workers comp benefits for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Employers may discourage employees from filing a workers comp claim on the basis that the pain or weakness is just “part of the job.”
Employers have also been known to try and blame carpal tunnel syndrome on a variety of other factors — including age, weight, arthritis, disease, pregnancy, diabetes, or non-work activities such as sports, housework or hobbies.
However, it is essential that an employee with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome gets the treatment, corrective surgery or special assistance devices that will ease their pain and prevent the condition from worsening. Without treatment, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can substantially worsen, and lead to more severe pain, permanent damage and even the inability to hold objects or use the thumb on the affected hand.
Our Orange County Attorneys Get
Workers Comp for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Because employers often deny workers comp benefits for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, it is important to speak to an experienced workers comp attorney about your injury.
An experienced workers comp attorney can prove that your Carpal Tunnel Syndrome arose out of and in the course of your employment. They can show that as an employee you suffered a greater exposure to risks of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome than do members of the general public.
If you are suffering from the pain and other symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, call our experienced Orange County Workers Comp Attorneys for a free consultation today. Our Workers’ Comp attorneys have helped hundreds of Orange County residents get the workers comp benefits they deserve.
Call our Orange County Workers Comp Attorneys for a
FREE CONSULTATION: 562-622-4800.
