Repetitive motion injuries, including carpal tunnel syndrome, are sometimes caused by the actions you have to complete on your job. While these injuries might not seem as serious as an injuries that occurs because of an accident, they might still require medical care and time off of work. This can spell disaster for some employees. The good news is that most repetitive motion injuries are eligible for workers’ compensation coverage.
The main point that you have to think about if you need workers’ compensation coverage for a repetitive motion injury is that the injury must be related to your job. The things you do at work had to cause the injury or they had to exacerbate an existing injury.
It is often difficult to pinpoint the exact moment when the repetitive motion began to affect you. For example, a cashier who is scanning groceries wouldn’t necessarily know what day the movements started to harm the wrists. Instead, you have to think comprehensively about these injuries.
A repetitive motion injury usually starts out as a minor ache. You may need an over-the-counter pain reliever, but usually nothing more. As the condition worsens, so does the pain. This keeps going until the injury can’t be ignored.
There are some instances in which getting workers’ compensation coverage for a repetitive motion injury might be difficult. In these cases, you should know what your rights and responsibilities are so that you can fight for the compensation you deserve. You shouldn’t be left without an income and trying to pay medical bills because you suffered a work-related injury.
Source: FindLaw, “Can I Get Workers’ Compensation For Repetitive Motion Injuries?,” Le Trinh, accessed March 24, 2017
