Suffering an injury because of your work can affect whether you can continue to work, your pain levels on a daily basis, the medical care you need and other areas of your life. Many work-related injuries are the result of a one-time incident, such as a fall, but other injuries can develop over time. Repetitive strain injuries are common work injuries, and they can be debilitating and painful.
If you are dealing with the pain and limited function that come with this type of injury, you have options. If you have a condition that worsened as a result of your job, or you develop a repetitive stress injury because of your job, you could have grounds to pursue benefits through a workers’ compensation claim.
How do these injuries happen?
Typically, repetitive strain injuries develop over time as the result of doing the same motion repeatedly. While they may not seem like a serious injury, they can be quite painful, and they can directly affect your ability to do your job. They may develop due to the following actions:
- Straining the muscle through the same motion again and again
- Standing or sitting in the same way for an extended period of time on a daily basis
- Having to maintain an abnormal posture, such as holding your arms extended in order to perform a certain task
- Lifting heavy objects
- Using tools often that vibrate or require exertion
- Typing on a computer for long periods of time
There are many things you could be doing at work that will increase the chance of a repetitive strain injury developing. By seeking workers’ compensation benefits, you can get the medical care you need while also recouping any financial losses associated with your injury. A work injury does not have to be traumatic to be serious and grounds for a claim.
Where should you start?
Your Minnesota employer cannot prevent you from seeking your rightful benefits through a workers’ comp claim. If you have a diagnosis of a repetitive strain injury and your job is to blame, you do not want to lose time. It is in your interests to take quick action to file a report, file a claim and take the steps necessary to complete the process. You have the right to pursue what you need for a full and fair recovery.
