Workman’s Compensation and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Oct 6
19:09

2022

Amy Wallington

Amy Wallington

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What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome? Carpal tunnel syndrome is a medical problem that can happen when there is pressure on the median nerve.

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What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a medical problem that can happen when there is pressure on the median nerve. The median nerve is a nerve in your hand that can get squished if there is too much pressure on it from everyday activities. This pressure can come from repetitive motion,Workman’s Compensation and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Articles repetitive movement, and repetitive stress injuries. This can cause symptoms like numbness, tingling, and weakness in your hand and arm.

There are some things that might put pressure on the median nerve and cause carpal tunnel syndrome. These include the anatomy of your wrist, health problems, and maybe doing certain things repeatedly with your hands when completing repetitive tasks. Usually, if you get treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, the tingling and numbness will go away, and you'll start to be able to use your hand and arm normally again. 

How Can Someone Get Carpal Tunnel Syndrome at Work?

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is a condition that you can get from doing a lot of work with your hands. It can be caused by things like repeating the same hand movements over and over or using vibrating tools. Common tasks such as typing or carrying items at work can cause carpal tunnel. Symptoms of carpal tunnel typically develop over a period of time and are not from a sudden injury as the medical evidence shows. Some people have to stop working because of it, but other people can take some measures to help prevent the symptoms or make them go away. If you are unable to work because of carpal tunnel, then you will likely have to seek legal options through a compensation claim to ensure you are compensated while away from work.

Are Workman's Compensation Benefits Available for an Employee Who is Diagnosed with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Yes, carpal tunnel syndrome can be covered by workers' compensation. If you have carpal tunnel syndrome because of your job duties, then you can receive benefits. Workman's compensation benefits can include medical treatment, medical expenses, pay for lost work, and a change in job duties.

You must make a report and make a claim for carpal tunnel to have the medical condition covered by workers' compensation. If you don't file your claim correctly with the insurance company, you can risk having your claim denied for a work-related injury. Taking the right steps can ensure that carpal tunnel syndrome is covered by workers' compensation.

How to Prove Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is Work-Related

If you think that you have carpal tunnel, then it is important to seek medical attention right away. Failing to seek medical attention and the associated documentation can lead to a denial of your workman's compensation claim. Too many workers will simply ignore the pain and try to work through it, which only causes more long-term harm than good. Promptly seeking medical attention can help your comp claim considerably.

It can be hard for workers to prove that their carpal tunnel syndrome was caused by their job. This is because there are many different environmental and biological factors that can lead to the condition. Workers may find it difficult to win compensation if they started experiencing carpal tunnel after they left the position they felt caused it. They may also face different standards for proving that their carpal tunnel was the result of their employment. However, if they can make a strong argument that their employment was the source of their carpal tunnel, they have a good chance of winning compensation. 

Carpal tunnel is commonly associated with factory workers, data entry clerks or typists, and others who work with computers, so it is important to explain how the worker's job led to the condition. This can be done by describing the common everyday tasks of the employee, and how those tasks directly led to the chronic pain they are experiencing in their hands. 

How a Workman's Compensation Attorney Can Help

Having an experienced workman's compensation lawyer can be critical to being successful in your comp claim. An attorney can speak with the insurance company on your behalf, gather evidence to support your claim, try to negotiate a good agreement, and represent you in court.

Most workers' comp claims are denied because of insufficient medical evidence. If your claim is approved, then you are more likely to get the treatment and benefits you need if you have strong medical evidence to support your case. An attorney can help gather this evidence by getting your medical records, arranging, or recommending treatment with certain doctors, getting medical opinions from your treating physicians, representing you at a deposition, and conducting depositions of medical experts.

The people who work for the insurance company are not looking out for you, nor are they on your side. They will reject your claim if they can. An attorney can help make sure your claim is not rejected by ensuring that there are no holes in your case that they can exploit to deny your claim. If you have legal questions, then call us at the Law Office of Sofia Miguel so we can help!