Florida’s Workers’ Compensation: Repetitive Stress Injuries
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In Florida, when a worker suffers a work-related injury, they can recover compensation under the state’s workers compensation law. When people think of work-related injuries, they usually think of injuries that happen suddenly, such as injuries that result from slips and falls. In fact, many employees assume that workers compensation only covers such injuries. However, even injuries that develop slowly over time may be compensable under the state’s workers compensation law.
What Is a Repetitive Stress Injury?
A repetitive stress injury (RSI) is an injury that develops over time. It is an injury that develops when a worker repeats the same task over and over again for a long time. RSIs are considered among the most common and frequent types of work injuries. When a worker repeats the same task over and over again for a long time, gradual degeneration can occur, and the worker may be left with a debilitating medical condition. Repetitive stress injuries can result in swelling, severe pain, numbness, weakness, and even permanent nerve damage.
Some people assume that repetitive stress injuries only affect employees who work in offices. This is not true. Any worker can develop a repetitive stress injury. As long as a job requires the same action to be repeated again and again, there is a risk of a worker developing an RSI.
The following are some examples of workplace repetitive stress injuries;
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Degenerative disk conditions
- Neck strain
- Cubital tunnel syndrome
- Tendonitis
- Hearing loss
- Rotator cuff tears
- Bursitis
- Stress fractures
- Tennis elbow
- Intersection syndrome
- De Quervain syndrome
And the following are some of the work-related tasks that can cause RSIs;
- Typing
- Grasping tools
- Heavy lifting
- Performing fine motor skills
Florida’s Workers Compensation and Repetitive Stress Injuries
If you acquire a repetitive stress injury in Florida, you can recover benefits for your injury under the state’s worker’s compensation law. However, you should know that workers compensation claims for a repetitive stress injury can be more complicated. The process of recovering workers compensation benefits for an RSI is usually more challenging.
When a single incident results in a serious injury, it is generally easy to pinpoint what caused the injury. It is typically easy to prove that the injury is work-related. On the other hand, it can be quite challenging to pinpoint the cause of an injury that has developed over the years. Proving that an RSI is work-related can be quite hard.
If you have developed an RSI and strongly believe your injury is work-related, it is crucial that you consult a workers compensation attorney. An attorney can help you prove that work was the major contributing cause of your RSI. In other words, a skilled attorney can help you prove that your work is more than 50% to blame for your RSI. In Florida, to recover workers’ compensation benefits for an RSI, the majority of the damage to your body must have been a direct result of your work.
Contact a Key West & Marathon Workers Compensation Lawyer
If you acquired a repetitive stress injury in Florida because of years of repetitive work, you have the right to file a workers compensation claim. A Key West & Marathon workers compensation lawyer at Florida Keys Injury can help you with your case. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Resource:
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0440/Sections/0440.09.html