Filing Workers' Comp Claims for Repetitive Stress Injuries
Navigate the unique challenges of workers comp claims involving carpal tunnel, back injuries, and other RSIs.
Repetitive stress injuries including carpal tunnel syndrome, tendinitis, rotator cuff injuries, and chronic back pain are among the most challenging workers' compensation claims because there is no single accident to point to. These conditions develop gradually over time, making it harder to prove that the injury is work-related rather than age-related or caused by non-work activities. However, with proper documentation and medical evidence, these claims can succeed.
Proving Work-Relatedness
The key to a successful repetitive stress claim is establishing a clear medical connection between your work activities and your condition. This requires a physician who understands occupational medicine and can provide a detailed opinion explaining how the specific physical demands of your job caused or significantly contributed to your condition. The medical opinion should reference your job duties, the repetitive motions involved, the duration and frequency of exposure, and the known medical literature linking those activities to your condition.
Supporting evidence should include your job description, ergonomic assessments of your workstation, any history of complaints about pain or discomfort reported to supervisors, requests for accommodations such as different equipment or modified duties, and a timeline showing the progression of symptoms correlated with work activities. If your employer has records of other workers in similar positions developing the same condition, this pattern evidence can be particularly compelling. Start documenting symptoms and reporting them to your employer at the earliest signs, even if you think the problem might resolve on its own.