In some cases, when workers suffer injuries on the job, it is due to a single catastrophic event. For example, a worker at the top of a ladder may slip and fall, suffering a traumatic brain injury or a spinal cord injury. It is very clear when the injury occurred, how the accident happened, and that the worker was on the job at the time.
In other cases, however, injuries are the result of cumulative damage. These are known as repetitive strain injuries. They often occur because workers must perform the same motions or tasks repeatedly, over long periods of time.
Muscles, tendons and ligaments
Repetitive strain injuries often affect muscle tissue or the tendons and ligaments that connect muscles to bones. Examples of these injuries include:
- Tennis elbow
- Back strains
- Shin splints
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Tendinitis
- Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Trigger finger
These conditions often have names that are not directly related to the cause of the injury. For example, someone may develop tennis elbow from working as a roofer and swinging a hammer, rather than from playing tennis.
These cases can also be complex because the damage occurs over time. A roofer is not injured by swinging a hammer once. Instead, the injury develops after years of repetitive motion. This can make it more difficult to show that the condition is work-related, since there is no single catastrophic event.
Seeking workers’ comp benefits
Although these cases can be complex, injured workers may still be entitled to workers’ comp benefits to help cover medical bills, lost wages and other costs. It is important for workers to understand what legal steps to take.