Can I Get Workers Compensation for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

When most people think of workplace injuries, they think of big accidents with one-time effects. While these types of injuries tend to make the headlines, they only make a portion of the workers compensation claims filed in Utah, Idaho and beyond.

The reality is that many, many kinds of injuries and illnesses develop over months and even years as a result of regular exposure to specific conditions or repetitive stress to certain areas of the body. Carpal tunnel syndrome is one such type of repetitive stress injury that we see time and time again with our clients.

To be brief, if you developed carpal tunnel syndrome as a result of work-related duties, you may be entitled to workers comp benefits. Read on to find out more, including what you should do to receive the compensation you deserve.

What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a painful condition that occurs when the median nerve of your wrists is compressed repeatedly. This nerve is important, and controls both the feeling and movement in most areas of the fingers.

The area at the bottom of your hands where the median nerve runs through is called the carpal tunnel—when the tendons in this area become swollen, it can create pressure on your nerve that results in pain ranging from mildly annoying to debilitating.

Lifting, bending, pulling, and even typing can cause carpal tunnel syndrome to develop over time.

What Are the Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

Symptoms of this painful condition include:

• Tingling in the fingers, wrists, hands or arms
• Numbness in the hands
• Hand or wrist pain
• Worsened grip
• Swollen fingers
• Weakness in the hands

Luckily, there are treatment options available:

• Splints and braces
• Physical therapy
• Steroids and anti-inflammatories
• Surgery (for extreme cases)

Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome a Workplace Injury?

For your injury to be covered by workers compensation insurance, we’ll need to prove that your condition is directly related to the requirements of your job. The most common work-related tasks that often lead to carpal tunnel include:

• Typing
• Using power tools that vibrate
• Mining and drilling
• Operating a cash register
• Slicing, cutting, pushing, twisting or pressing
• Mechanical work in general

Although anyone might develop carpal tunnel at work, the most common professions include:

• Butchers and chefs
• Janitors
• Delivery workers
• Administrative workers
• Data entry workers
• Truck drivers
• Food service workers

How Do You Prove Your Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is Work-Related?

Carpal tunnel can result from a wide variety of factors, which can make proving these claims a challenge. To receive workers comp benefits for your injury, you’ll have to prove that your injury came about as a result of your normal job-related duties and NOT because of outside factors.

Insurance companies are pros at blurring the line between outside causes and work-related causes, which is where having an experienced workers compensation lawyer will help greatly. Your attorney will be able to:

• Consult with your healthcare provider to diagnose and examine your condition
• Document your injury with the necessary imaging, tests and procedures to build a solid claim
• Clearly define which job duties led to your injury

Remember, insurance companies are highly skilled at minimizing the extent and cause of your injury. Failure to seek professional help could mean losing out on a portion or even ALL of the compensation you’re entitled to—especially for complex injuries like carpal tunnel.

When you’re ready to place a safe bet on your well being and future, contact us immediately to set up a free consultation. We’ve helped win many carpal tunnel cases already, and we’re ready to do the same for you too.