Whatever you do for a living, you could be susceptible to repetitive stress injuries. Damage to nerves, muscles or tendons can occur after years of labor, causing you pain, numbness, weakness and other symptoms. This is a problem in every Kentucky workplace, from warehouses and manufacturing plants to restaurants and offices.
Three common risk factors
However, some jobs pose more of a risk than others. How many of these three risk factors are regular parts of your job?
- Vibrations. Using heavy machinery like power tools generally means strong vibrations moving through your body, especially your hands and arms. Over time, those vibrations can cause harm.
- Cold. Working outside in cold weather or a cold building puts you at greater risk of aggravating repetitive stress injuries. Stress on cold muscles and tendons can suffer injury or make existing injuries worse.
- Computer usage. Typing, using a mouse and other computer activities can lead to carpal tunnel syndrome. Ergonomic equipment can help, but not every employer supplies them. Years of typing at unnatural angles can hurt your hands and wrists.
Over time, working conditions like these can lead to serious repetitive stress injuries. The effects can make it too painful or difficult to keep working. Fortunately, a repetitive stress injury could qualify you for workers’ compensation under Kentucky law. If you have been diagnosed with a repetitive stress injury, you should let your employer know as soon as possible as part of the workers’ compensation recovery process.
If your employer won’t act fairly
With workers’ comp benefits to help you pay for treatment and make up for lost income, you can have the time you need to recover. But employers and their workers’ comp insurance companies often do everything possible to avoid paying rightful claims. Advice and representation from a workers’ compensation attorney can even the playing field and help lead to a fair outcome to your claim.