Not every workplace injury happens in a sudden accident. Some injuries develop gradually after performing the same movements day after day. Typing, lifting, gripping tools, working on an assembly line, and other repetitive tasks can eventually cause painful conditions that interfere with an employee's ability to work.
In Indiana, a repetitive stress injury may potentially support a workers' compensation claim when the condition is connected to the employee's job. These claims can present challenges because there may not be one specific accident that clearly explains when the injury occurred.
At The Flores Law Group, we help injured Indiana workers understand their rights and pursue benefits when workplace activities cause or contribute to an injury.
What Is a Repetitive Stress Injury?
A repetitive stress injury develops when repeated movements or physical demands place ongoing strain on muscles, tendons, nerves, joints, or other parts of the body. Instead of being injured in one identifiable event, a worker may notice symptoms that gradually become more severe.
For example, an employee who repeatedly lifts and moves products throughout each shift might develop shoulder or back problems. An employee who performs frequent hand and wrist movements may eventually experience numbness, tingling, weakness, or pain.
Common repetitive stress conditions can include:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Tendinitis
- Bursitis
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Tennis elbow
- Trigger finger
- Back and neck conditions
- Nerve compression injuries
- Joint and muscle injuries
The specific diagnosis matters, but so does determining whether the employee's work activities caused or contributed to the condition.
What Types of Jobs Can Cause Repetitive Stress Injuries?
Repetitive stress injuries are not limited to office employees. They can occur in virtually any occupation involving repeated movements, awkward positions, forceful exertion, or ongoing physical demands.
Manufacturing and warehouse employees, for example, may repeatedly lift, reach, bend, twist, push, or pull throughout a shift. Construction workers may frequently use vibrating tools or perform physically demanding movements. Healthcare employees may repeatedly lift or reposition patients.
Workers who may be at risk include:
- Warehouse and distribution employees
- Manufacturing and assembly-line workers
- Construction workers
- Nurses and other healthcare professionals
- Office and data-entry employees
- Mechanics and technicians
- Food service employees
- Delivery workers
- Retail employees
- Workers who regularly use hand or power tools
An employee does not necessarily have to perform the exact same movement every minute of the day. The broader question is whether the demands of the job contributed to the injury.
How Do You Prove a Repetitive Stress Injury Is Work-Related?
This can be one of the central issues in a repetitive stress workers' compensation claim.
When an employee falls from a ladder and breaks an arm, connecting the injury to the workplace accident may be relatively straightforward. With a repetitive stress condition, an insurance company may question whether work actually caused the problem.
Medical evidence can therefore be especially important. A physician may evaluate the employee's symptoms, diagnosis, work activities, medical history, and other possible causes.
Evidence that may help establish the connection includes:
- Medical records documenting the condition
- A doctor's opinion regarding the cause of the injury
- Descriptions of the employee's regular job duties
- Records showing how frequently particular tasks are performed
- Reports of symptoms made to a supervisor
- Workplace ergonomic assessments
- Statements from coworkers familiar with the employee's duties
Workers should provide healthcare professionals with accurate information about the physical demands of their jobs. A doctor cannot properly evaluate a potential occupational connection without understanding what the employee actually does at work.
Our Indianapolis workers' compensation attorneys can help employees evaluate disputed claims and determine what evidence may be necessary.
What Symptoms Can Indicate a Repetitive Stress Injury?
Symptoms vary depending on the affected area and condition. Some employees initially dismiss mild symptoms as ordinary soreness from a long day at work.
Over time, however, symptoms may become more frequent or severe. A worker might notice that pain continues after a shift ends, returns every time a particular task is performed, or begins interfering with ordinary activities outside work.
Potential warning signs include persistent pain, tingling, numbness, weakness, swelling, stiffness, reduced range of motion, or difficulty gripping objects. Some workers may also experience burning sensations or pain that radiates into another part of the body.
Seeking medical attention can help determine the cause of these symptoms and whether continued activity could worsen the condition.
Should You Report a Repetitive Stress Injury to Your Employer?
Workers should not assume that a gradual injury does not need to be reported because there was no single workplace accident.
Indiana workers' compensation claims are subject to notice and filing requirements. Delaying a report can also create factual disputes. An employer or insurer may question why the worker continued performing the job for months without reporting that the work was causing a problem.
When symptoms appear connected to job duties, employees should consider notifying their employer and seeking appropriate medical attention. Workers should be as specific as possible about when symptoms developed and which work activities appear to aggravate them.
Accurate documentation from the beginning may become important if the employer's insurance carrier later disputes the claim.
What Benefits May Be Available?
If a repetitive stress condition qualifies for Indiana workers' compensation, the worker may be entitled to benefits based on the circumstances of the injury.
Potential benefits may address:
- Reasonable and necessary medical treatment
- Temporary disability when the employee cannot work
- Certain permanent impairments
- Other benefits available under Indiana workers' compensation law
The benefits available depend on factors such as the severity of the condition, the employee's ability to continue working, and whether the injury results in lasting impairment.
A repetitive stress condition does not need to leave someone completely unable to use an arm, hand, shoulder, or other body part before it becomes significant. Even a condition that restricts the type or amount of work an employee can perform can have substantial financial consequences.
What if the Insurance Company Says the Injury Is Not Work-Related?
Insurance companies may dispute repetitive stress claims by arguing that the condition resulted from age, hobbies, a previous injury, an underlying medical condition, or activities outside the workplace.
A denial does not necessarily settle the question.
Medical opinions, job descriptions, employment records, and other evidence may help demonstrate how work contributed to the condition. In some cases, a worker may have had an existing vulnerability that became symptomatic or significantly worse because of repetitive job duties.
Workers facing a disputed claim should be cautious about assuming that the insurer's explanation is the final word. Understanding the medical evidence and the applicable workers' compensation rules can be critical before deciding what to do next.
Can You Keep Working With a Repetitive Stress Injury?
That depends on the condition and the medical restrictions imposed by the treating healthcare provider.
Some employees may be able to continue working with modified duties, reduced lifting requirements, ergonomic changes, or restrictions on particular repetitive movements. Others may need time away from work to recover.
Following medical restrictions is important. Continuing to perform activities that a physician has restricted may worsen an injury and potentially create additional disputes concerning the claim.
Workers should also make sure that employers understand their restrictions. If an employer asks an injured employee to perform duties that appear inconsistent with medical limitations, the employee may need legal guidance about how to address the situation.
Talk to Our Indianapolis Workers' Compensation Attorneys
If you are dealing with a repetitive stress injury caused by your job, our attorneys are here to help. We can review how your injury developed, explain your rights under Indiana workers' compensation law, and help you pursue the benefits available for a work-related condition. Call us today or connect with us online to schedule a consultation.
