11 Dec Can I make a repetitive strain injury claim?
Up to one in 50 workers has reported having a Repetitive Strain Injury. This can cause a lot of pain and impact people’s ability to earn a living. In severe cases, it might even require surgery. Are you considering making a Repetitive Strain Injury claim. Contact our team of personal injury solicitors to find out if you have a case.
What is a Repetitive Strain Injury?
Repetitive Strain Injury is a general term which describes pain or discomfort in the muscles, tendons, nerves and other soft tissues. It is caused by repetitive movements and usually affects upper body parts, like the arm, elbow, wrist, hand and neck.
It is caused by doing repetitive actions continually and often occurs in office workers and manual workers who repeat the same task for hours every day. Data entry and assembly line roles can lead to Repetitive Injury Strain.
Two types of Repetitive Strain Injury exist. Type 1 is when a doctor can diagnose a specific medical disorder, such as carpal tunnel syndrome, bursitis, rotator cuff syndrome or tendonitis. Swelling or inflammation is often evident.
Type 2 is when a specific condition can’t be diagnosed because there are no obvious symptoms, just a sensation of pain or numbness.
Type 1 or type 2 Repetitive Strain Injury can lead to workplace accident claims and sports injury claims.
Symptoms of Repetitive Strain Injury
According to the HSE, symptoms of Repetitive Strain Injury can include:
- Pain, tenderness or numbness in an area
- A tingling sensation
- Stiffness
- Throbbing or cramps
Weakness in the affected area
To begin with, you might only notice the symptoms while doing a particular task. Then they usually persist and get worse over time. You should seek medical advice as soon as you start to notice any symptoms.
Can I claim for Repetitive Strain Injury?
To pursue personal injury claims, two things are required:
- You must have sustained an injury
- The injury must have been caused by the negligence of a third party
Many actions can contribute to Repetitive Strain Injury, from bad posture to heavy lifting. Employers can’t prevent every injury, but they do owe a duty of care to their workers. As part of their health and safety procedures, they should provide training and equipment to reduce the chance of injury. They should also run risk assessments to identify and reduce hazards in the workplace.
If you sustained a Repetitive Strain Injury but your employer took reasonable steps to prevent this, then they may not be negligent. However, in cases where an employer didn’t fulfill their duty of care, you will have a strong case.
Actions which may contribute to an employer’s negligence might include:
- Insufficient breaks or break times
- Requiring excessive amounts of repetitive work
- Providing inadequate equipment and workwear
- Providing an insufficient workplace environment or layout
To make a successful Repetitive Strain Injury claim, you need to show your injury could have been prevented if your employer had taken some reasonable safety measures.
Want to make a Repetitive Strain Injury claim?
Contact Ferrys Solicitors LLP Personal Injury Solicitors and tell us about your case. We’ll take care of your claim while you take care of your injuries.
