Not every work injury happens suddenly. There’s no fall or dramatic incident. Instead, the pain builds slowly over time. It could be numbness in your fingers from typing, shoulder pain from lifting patients or back problems from repeated bending and twisting.
If this sounds familiar, you may be wondering if workers’ compensation covers injuries that develop gradually. The answer is usually, “yes.”
How do you report a repetitive stress injury?
Repetitive stress injuries, also known as repetitive motion injuries, happen when the same movements are performed repeatedly, putting strain on muscles, tendons and joints. Common examples of repetitive stress injuries include:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Tendonitis
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Chronic neck or back strain
- Knee problems from repeated squatting or kneeling
Almost every industry has these types of injuries, from office work to health care to construction.
Workers’ compensation covers work-related repetitive stress injuries. However, these claims can be more complicated than cases involving a sudden accident. There is no single injury date, so insurance companies may argue that the issue is a pre-existing condition or the result of activities outside work. Therefore, the connection between your job duties and medical condition must be clearly established.
When reporting a repetitive stress injury, the “injury date” is the point when you first realized that your condition was related to your job. Once you become aware, you have 90 days to notify your employer. You may have had wrist pain for months but were only recently diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome. That diagnosis may then trigger the 90-day reporting deadline.
Many people worry that having a prior condition will disqualify them from receiving workers’ comp benefits. That’s not necessarily true. You may still be eligible if your job duties significantly aggravated, accelerated or worsened your condition.
Employers and insurance carriers often challenge claims involving repetitive stress injuries. That’s why it’s crucial to have a legal professional working on your behalf. They can help with proving the connection between your injury and job so that you get the workers’ compensation benefits you need for your recovery.