Workers and professions ranging from transportation to the culinary arts will have to do the same tasks at work every single day. Employers tend to treat workers like machines, when in reality, serving the same function daily for many hours will likely damage the human body.
Factory workers and office workers, as well as many other employees, are at risk of developing repetitive stress disorders, also known as repetitive strain disorders, because of the work that they do. Unlike a broken bone or a brain injury, a repetitive stress injury doesn’t directly relate to one specific incident at work but rather the slow accumulation of trauma caused by job responsibilities.
Will workers’ compensation pay for claims related to repetitive stress injuries?
Any job-related condition may qualify
Any worker with a repetitive stress injury could get benefits, from an office worker with carpal tunnel to a factory worry with a back injury caused by lifting and twisting. Provided that a worker can show that their employment is directly responsible for causing a medical condition or exacerbating a pre-existing condition, they can potentially secure workers’ compensation benefits.
A successful claim will lead to medical coverage for treatment and possibly also disability benefits if someone needs a leave of absence from work or has to move to a lower-paid job because of their condition. Workers who file a workers’ compensation claim and inform their employer of their conditions will have an easier time seeking accommodations that allow them to remain at work or return to work more quickly.
Knowing when you have the right to claim workers’ compensation benefits can help you better protect your health and your finances.