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Repetitive Motion Injuries

Repetitive Motion Injuries

How and when do you report them to ensure you get the most from your medical claim.

If you have a job that involves any physical activity that is repetitive in nature such as typing or hammering or using a device that vibrates or causes you to flex or extend a part of your body over and over again, you may suffer a repetitive injury to that body part. The real question is when does the injury actually take place so everyone including your employer can assign an accident date to your injury and determine time lines in your case. The medical evidence usually is that this type of injury is a gradual process, built up over time by the damaging activities of this work that Nature did not have in mind when our bodies were designed. Any body tissue will break down and become injured when it is stressed over and over again by the same activity and there is inadequate rest periods between such stress. The conditions we are talking about here are carpal tunnel syndrome affecting the wrist, or tendonitis of a joint, or disc injuries to the back due to repetitive bending or long term standing or any other condition caused by the repeated activity at work.

The minute you recognize that you are having a physical problem that is not going away after rest from the work activity and you believe that the work activity is causing or contributing to your problem is the time that you should report your problem to your supervisor at work AND the appropriate person at work that handles workers compensation matters for your employer. You should tell both of these people that the nature of your work is causing physical problems , describe these problems and how you relate them to work and immediately ask to get checked out by a doctor and be provided treatment for the condition. If the employer refuses to designate a doctor and pay for that doctor to treat this condition you should immediately seek the assistance of a workers compensation lawyer to help you get this done.

DO NOT WAIT FOR YOUR PAIN AND NUMBNESS OR OTHER SYMPTOMS TO GET SO BAD THAT YOU CAN'T DO YOU JOB. YOU ARE RISKING YOUR HEALTH AND YOUR JOB IF YOU WAIT TOO LONG. If you have any questions about whether or not your condition is related to your job, you should ask an expert who treats these types of injuries. A doctor that specializes in Physical Medicine is usually a pretty good expert in this area of repetitive injuries. You could also go to an orthopedic surgeon to have this diagnosed if you are unsure of what is causing your problem. However, if you aren't sure that the doctor you have chosen isn't a "COMPANY DOCTOR" who may try to claim the condition is not work related, you had better talk to an experienced workers compensation lawyer about who would be the best doctor for you to see in or near your community. Be very careful that you don't choose the wrong doctor and destroy your case before it even gets started. There are some doctors in Wichita that actually don't believe most of these injuries are work related and believe that these injuries are due to your genetic factors or other conditions unrelated to work and if you get one of these doctors your case will be in trouble.

When you do report your carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms or your strained back problems from heavy repetitive lifting to your doctor, always tell the truth and don't exaggerate. Be sure to tell the doctor why you think this problem is work related and, if true, that it has nothing to do with your activities at home now or in the past. Detailing for the doctor as much as possible what you do at work will help them in making the correct diagnosis and also help them in deterring if this is work related or due to some disease or other cause. If you are convinced that your injury is work related and a doctor tells you otherwise or tells your boss that it is not work related, you had better go see a workers compensation lawyer as soon as possible because you will have problems with your claim due to this doctor.

Last but not least, follow doctor's orders in limiting activities if your doctor gives you restrictions from repetitive activity. If your employer refuses or fails to follow doctor's advice about limiting your repetitive activities, you need to seek the advice of a workers compensation lawyer as soon as possible because you are going to end up risking your health and job and a workers compensation lawyer can help get these limitations enforced and perhaps save your arms or back from further permanent injury or damage.

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Location: 300 W Douglas Avenue | Wichita, Kansas (KS) 67202 | 1-316-263-0001 | 1-888-263-0001 | Email Us