Minnesota Workers’ Compensation covers various work-related injuries including carpal tunnel syndrome or CTS if it is related to your work exposure. These types of injuries are called repetitive trauma/cumulative trauma/Gillette type injuries. It is important once you know that the injury is work-related that you report it to your employer. Then, follow the employer’s policies in terms of reporting an injury. If necessary, contact a workers’ compensation lawyer to determine the best route of obtaining workers’ compensation benefits.
Certain jobs that require repetitive motion of the forearm, wrist or hand increase the risk of CTS. Some occupations include:
- Construction Workers
- Manual Labor
- Meat Packing
- Vibrating Equipment Operators
- Data Entry
- Assembly Line Workers
As we know, carpal tunnel is a condition that causes pain and numbness in the fingers and hands and sometimes in the arms. This occurs when a nerve in the wrist called the “media nerve” gets pinched or squeezed. This can cause pain and tingling in the upper extremities. The symptoms can interfere with sleep at night and even wake you up.
A medical doctor can perform various tests to help determine whether or not you have carpal tunnel. The doctor may also have you undergo a nerve conduction study and EMG to better determine whether or not you have carpal tunnel. If you have been diagnosed with carpal tunnel, you will also want to find out from your doctor whether or not that they believe that your condition is work-related. Most workers’ compensation cases are going to be won and lost on the medical support that you have for your claim. It is imperative to know whether or not the doctor is in support of the claim. It also may be a good idea to discuss the matter with an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer to assist in the process.
Once carpal tunnel has been diagnosed, various treatment options include wrist splints, steroid shots, or even surgery.
If you have been told that you have work-related carpal tunnel or believe that you have work-related carpal tunnel syndrome, please feel free to contact our office to discuss your legal options. An experienced workers’ compensation lawyer can provide you with the guidance you need to get the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve.
