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Request A Call HereIn recent years, more and more evidence has surfaced concerning the health risks of sedentary work. Sitting at a desk, in front of a computer for 40 hours per week can have serious health consequences, including an increased risk for heart disease, cancer, and diabetes. The repetitive motions for computer workers, such as the use of a keyboard and mouse, often cause injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome to slowly accumulate over time.
If you think you may have developed carpal tunnel syndrome because of your job duties, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation. Symptoms may start out minor, but this condition often becomes extremely painful over time. It’s important to get treatment as soon as possible and to avoid engaging in the tasks which lead to your injury until you’ve healed.
In New York, any work-related injury or illness is technically eligible for workers’ compensation. However, receiving these benefits can often be difficult – especially for repetitive motion injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome. It’s common for employers and insurance companies to dispute claims by arguing that an injury is not work-related.
In order to successfully claim compensation for carpal tunnel syndrome, you must make sure you have the proper medical evidence and provide accurate and complete documentation. In many cases, it’s necessary to have a New York carpal tunnel work injury lawyer who knows how to deal with the insurance companies.
If you're interested in learning more about workers' compensation claims in New York, see our next article.
Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs when the median nerve becomes compressed in your carpal tunnel, which is a passageway on your underneath your palm. Symptoms usually begin gradually and get progressively worse if left untreated. This condition affects your thumb, fingers, wrist, and the palm of your hand.
If you’ve noticed any of the following symptoms, you may wish to consider a workers’ compensation claim for carpal tunnel syndrome:
It’s best to begin to seek medical attention as soon as you begin to notice one or more of these persistent symptoms. If you decide to file for workers’ comp, it’s also best to do so as soon as possible.
Carpal tunnel syndrome can happen in a variety of work environments, but job duties that require repetitive motions with the hands are at a higher risk. Exposure to vibrations through the use of hand-held power tools and the extension of the wrists with a strong grip can also cause carpal tunnel.
Workers in the following occupations are at a greater risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome:
Regardless of your occupation, if you’ve noticed persistent pain, weakness, or numbness in your wrist, hand, or fingers, you should consider meeting with a doctor who can determine if you may have work-related carpal tunnel syndrome.
The process of apply for workers’ compensation is more difficult than many people realize. While this form of insurance is supposed to protect workers who become injured during the course of their work, insurance companies make the process much more complicated than it needs to be. These companies benefit financially from limiting the number of claims they accept. It’s common for them to deny claims for small inaccuracies, and their representatives will often claim that your injury is related to normal wear and tear or aging.
Most injured workers aren’t prepared to deal with these companies on their own. Additionally, gathering the appropriate evidence and documents for a successful claim is often difficult. This is where the guidance of an experienced work injury lawyer comes in handy. Having a lawyer by your side greatly increases your odds of winning your initial claim or filing a successful appeal for a claim that’s been denied.
At Banville Law, we offer free initial consultations and only require payment if we help you win. This way, you can focus on getting the financial assistance you need without worrying about legal fees.
Learn more about workplace eye injuries in our next blog: https://banvillelaw.com/workers-compensation/injuries/eyes/