In some lines of work, you need to make the same motion over and over again. An example could be a carpenter swinging a hammer or an assembly line worker connecting the same part.
Doing that motion one time is highly unlikely to lead to any injury or discomfort. But over time, the repetition of that singular motion can lead to inflammation, pain, numbness, and other such symptoms. These are known as repetitive strain injuries.
Exactly what symptoms you face – and where they develop – will depend on the nature of the injury and the action that led to it. In the example above, the carpenter who is consistently swinging a hammer could develop something like tennis elbow. Another example would be an office worker who types every day and eventually develops carpal tunnel syndrome.
Can you seek workers’ comp benefits?
Yes, you can seek workers’ comp benefits for repetitive strain injuries. Your employment did lead to the injury, and that injury may lead to medical care, such as surgery to treat the pain and discomfort. It can also keep you out of work, meaning that you need compensation for lost wages.
This can be a bit more complex than other types of injuries. You need to demonstrate that it was your employment that caused the injury, for example, but there is no one-time event – like a fall from a ladder – that clearly demonstrates that you were injured on the job. That is why it is so helpful to work with medical professionals, and it can also be wise to work with an experienced law firm.