Repetitive Stress Injuries and Worker’s Compensation Claims
Repetitive stress injuries (RSI) is a general term for any injury caused by the overuse of muscles, tendons, joints, nerves, or other parts of the body. This occurs when people perform the same movements over and over again. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome is caused by misuse of the hands and arms in car assembly or other activities that require repetitive hand movements.
There are two types of RSI, according to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons:
- Acute injuries are sudden injuries that will heal if left alone.
- Chronic injuries are long-term pain syndromes that may or may not be related to an acute injury.
There are two main types of repetitive stress injuries are carpal tunnel syndrome and cubital tunnel syndrome. They are both caused by repeated motions or forceful use of the hand, arm, or elbow. However, it really can cover just about any injury that occurs due to overdoing the same motion over and over in a robotic-like fashion.
Reasons for RSI Injuries
Repetitive stress injuries in the workplace can occur in the back for people bent over all the time, such as mechanics with car repairs. This is why it is important to have a jack that will raise and lower the car to make this a little better. Other things that cause repetitive stress injury are:
- Lifting heavy objects or boxes over and over
- Car accident
- Maintaining awkward positions
- Construction accident
- Continuously typing on a computer
- Repeatedly bending up and down
- Constantly gripping or pressing
- Completing repetitive tasks.
We are seeing more carpal tunnel injuries in recent years due to the number of jobs that require typing. To help prevent these sorts of injuries, your employer should offer ergonomic workstations. This can be at your desk or your workstation.
Some companies have even started installing desks that allow the person to stand or sit while doing their work to reduce the chance of repetitive strain injury and workplace injury.. This is an excellent example of an ergonomic workstation.
Repetitive Stress Injury Attorney
If you feel you have had repetitive stress injuries from the workplace, you need to find a reputable work injury lawyer who can represent you and get you the compensation you deserve. RSI, at times, can be reversed with proper chiropractic and medical treatments. However, that is costly and will take time to heal. Your employers’ insurance company can cover these costs. However, if you have been seriously injured and the doctors don’t think they can help, this is also a good reason to find a work comp lawyer qualified to help. Call us at 980-256-0928
What are the Major Signs of Repetitive Stress Injury?
Repetitive stress injury is a general term for a variety of disorders caused by the overuse of a muscle or group of muscles. It’s typically caused by making the same motion repeatedly, especially if your work requires repetitive motions. Repetitive stress injuries in the workplace can lead to pain, numbness, and weakness in your hand, wrist, arm, or other parts of your body.
It is important to take action quickly when you have symptoms of a re-occurring injury.
The signs and symptoms can include:
- Pain
- Numbness
- Tingling or burning sensations in your hand
- Weakness in your fingers
- Changes in sensation between hot and cold temperatures
- Changes in color on the palm side of your hand
It is important that if you are showing these sorts of signs that you take note. When you are having constant pain in your hands and wrists, this is a sign that you might have RSI. Also, if you have constant back leg pain due to working in awkward positions, this too can be a sign of RSI. If you feel that you might have RSI, you should speak to a chiropractor or medical doctor to find out.
Different Doctors to See for Help.
What is the difference between a medical doctor and a chiropractor? A chiropractor will look at your overall body and how it is aligned. This means that if your head is hunched over. This leads to rounded shoulders. Then to misplaced ligaments trying to act as they would if their body was in perfect alignment. This means that if the shoulders and neck were put back into position, the strain on those areas of the wrist would be less. Because of that, the pain would eventually subside, and the patient could return to normal duty.
A medical doctor looks at the source of pain, for example, the wrist. They might start by giving some anti-inflammatories. If that doesn’t help, you might be looking for surgery to open up the areas where the ligaments pass through. This will then allow the patient to return to regular duties once recovered.
While both of these will help, it is up to the patient to decide which option is best for them. As a workers’ compensation attorney, we don’t tell you what doctor you need to see.
We don’t allow the insurance companies to tell you what doctor you should see. This is one of the benefits of being adequately represented. You can see a doctor of your choice and make the best decision once you have all the information. Worker’s compensation is there to ensure you can get the medical treatment you need and the compensation you deserve for your injuries. For a free evaluation of your case, call us at 980-256-0928
Work Injury Lawyer
However, many times they won’t tell you that. In fact, we have seen them give workers the run around because a work injury lawyer does not represent them. This is because they know that they can intimidate you. However, when you have proper legal representation, you will be given your power back.
Worried about how you will pay us? We work for you until you get paid. The insurance settlement will include our payment, and we don’t get paid until you win. Because of this, you literally have nothing to lose by hiring a workers’ compensation attorney to represent you. Many times, as professionals, we know what you are entitled to due to your injuries. If your injuries were caused by neglect, we can help.
Introduction: Is RSI Preventable?
The risk of getting RSI is not entirely avoidable for a few reasons. Firstly, the work environment is not always perfect, and there are some factors that may cause injury. Secondly, many people don’t know how to do their jobs without causing themselves harm. However, it is still possible to avoid injuries by being mindful of what you’re doing and taking some precautions, such as using ergonomic tools and following your body’s signals when you feel pain or discomfort.
5 Ways to Prevent RSIs:
- Adjust your keyboard or workstation height
- Use a wrist pad or set up an ergonomic setup
- Take regular breaks
- Switch up your workstation position often
- Stretch out your legs, back, hips, thighs, fingers, and wrists.
While some repetitive stress injuries in the workplace can be prevented, sometimes they are unavoidable. This can happen for a number of reasons. Be sure while you are at work that you do it in a manner that isn’t going to strain your body. This can mean that you might need to maintain proper posture to do so. Be aware of your posture and movements that you are doing that is repetitive. Take breaks and go for a walk and let your body have time to heal.
Prevention of RSI
While RSI is sometimes preventable, oftentimes, the employee is given the proper options. Getting the proper tools to help prevent this is key. If you had asked for more breaks or proper seating and were denied by your employer only to get RSI, you might have a case. As legal team professionals, we are happy to always look at your case and decide if we can help. If you have been injured in the states of South Carolina or North Carolina, we can help. We are a worker’s compensation attorney located in North Carolina that services both states. We take our time with our cases to ensure that we fully understand what actually happened. Many times we will need to gather doctors’ reports and other documents that support your case. Our legal team has fought for 1000s of injured workers and is happy to fight for you. Call and talk to a team member regarding your case at 980-256-0928
Don’t try to go on your own, as the insurance companies have a team of lawyers ready to fight. They will give you the run-around and make you feel like you don’t have a case at all. There are times that they will provide you with an offer that might sound good to you. However, they know that. They are lowballing you because of your lack of proper help from a legal professional. Once you have a workers’ compensation attorney on board, their tune will quickly change.
How Can We Make The Work Place Safer For RSI Sufferers?
Employers need to provide their staff with the tools they need to do their job well. This includes providing ergonomic seating, desks, and equipment. Employers should also be aware that there are many ways to prevent RSI, including taking regular breaks, using the correct posture, and not using the mouse too much. It is the legal right of the employee to have a safe place to work that won’t cause RSI or other injuries while at work. Be sure that you are keeping the workplace clean and properly trained the workers on using the equipment they are expected to use.
If you are an employer looking for ways to make your workplace safer for your staff members who suffer from RSI, there are many things you can do. You should provide your employees with ergonomic seating and desks as well as take care of any other physical health conditions they may have. While RSI isn’t the only thing that harms workers, it is one of the main issues.
There are other on-the-job injuries that you should keep in mind as an employer as well. These are things such as tripping hazards. Extension cords that are strung across a room are a hazard. Also, unkept vehicles and carts could cause injury as the wheels fall off or the cart stops suddenly without warning. You should always look at keeping your tooling and machines well maintained to prevent injury as well.
Workers Compensation Attorney for North and South Carolina
When you have been injured on the job, either with repetitive motion or for other reasons, you should seek the advice of a qualified attorney. A workers compensation attorney can assist you with navigating the insurance companies. Don’t let the insurance companies of your employer push you around. Get a good legal team on your side that can assist. Call us at 980-256-0928
Again, there is no need for payment unless we win. This means that you can be confident that you will owe us nothing unless we win the case if we take on on your case. Because of this, we don’t take on every case. We will evaluate it to see if it was a case worth fighting. We don’t just help people with RSI. Our law office helps anyone that has been injured on the job for any reason. If you or a loved one has been injured on the job, we are here to help. Call today. Let’s get started on looking over your case and getting the paperwork in motion. The sooner you call, the sooner you will be compensated for your injuries.
Work Accident Lawyers
The amount of compensation will vary depending on the type of injury, your medical bills, time off of work, and a few other things. We can discuss what to expect based on our experience. Many times these insurance companies seem very intimidating to those that haven’t worked with them before. They will push you around and not give you the answers you need. However, you have nothing to worry about once you have a proper legal team in place and a compensation attorney working for you. We will do all the leg work and talk to all the different people they send us to. If you were injured on the job in the states of North or South Carolina, we are here to help.
Although located in Charlotte North Carolina, we represent workers hurt on the job , in industrial accidents in other cities such as Raleigh NC. We also represent professional athletes who were injured from repetitive motion injuries and are happy to explain workers compensation benefits.
Call today, and let’s get started right away.
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