A repetitive stress injury develops when you keep doing the same thing over and over again. There are many ways for such an injury to develop, but what’s really important is whether or not you developed your injury at your workplace. If you did, you may be able to ask for workers’ comp. A San Antonio, Texas work injury lawyer from our firm can tell you more.
How Do I Know If I Have a Repetitive Stress Injury?
A repetitive stress injury can affect a few different body parts. Joints like your elbows, wrists, and knees are especially susceptible. Injuries like this often affect the forearms, shoulders, hands, and fingers as well.
These types of injuries are not just painful. Other common symptoms include:
- Stiffness
- Weakness
- A tingling sensation in the affected area
- Swelling
- Muscle cramps
What Can Lead to a Repetitive Stress Injury?
Now you’re probably thinking that a repetitive stress injury sounds rather annoying to deal with, and you would be right. So it’s a good idea to know what kind of behavior can lead to such an injury. Actions that often result in these irritating injuries include:
- Assembly line work
- Work with construction and power tools
- Hairdressing
- Decorating
- Typing and computer work
Obviously, it can be hard to avoid these activities completely, especially if it’s your job to do these things. You can try to take breaks though, or do other things to take care of your health and any vulnerable body parts.
Can My Injury Lead to More Complications?
A repetitive stress injury should be addressed because it can lead to more serious issues. It is not uncommon for an injury like this to ultimately result in ailments like:
- Nerve compression syndromes
- Herniated discs
- Bursitis
- Ganglion cysts
- Stress fractures
Can I Get Workers’ Comp For My Injury?
The good news is that there are treatments for many of these injuries available to you. The bad news is that they cost money. Physical therapy is often used to treat these kinds of injuries, but you could need multiple sessions and the cost of them can add up quickly. Other treatments, like steroid injections and surgery, are not exactly cheap either.
So can you pay for these repetitive stress injury treatments with workers’ compensation? You may be able to. If you can show that your job has caused the injury, then you could receive benefits.
There are potential complications though. An insurer could deny your claim and say that you developed this issue elsewhere. You could also find out that your employer does not have workers’ comp insurance. It’s not a requirement to carry it in Texas. This is when you may want to speak to a lawyer.
Schedule Your Free Consultation
So if you think that you deserve workers’ compensation for your repetitive stress injury, contact Sahadi Legal Group. Our office is happy to offer free case consultations to local prospective clients.
