Torrance Repetitive Motion Injury Lawyer

Every day, thousands of people in California and across the United States sustain all types of injuries at work. Some of these injuries are easily treated with readily available first aid supplies or urgent care treatment. Others are more damaging and demand immediate emergency care. When most people think of the workplace injuries a person might suffer that would qualify as grounds for workers’ compensation in California, they typically imagine cases like these involving severe acute injuries. The reality is that a large percentage of the workers’ compensation claims filed in California pertain to injuries that manifest gradually over time.

Assisting Torrance, CA, Clients With Recovery From Work-Related Repetitive Motion Injuries

Whether you are struggling in the aftermath of a traumatic injury at work or have developed adverse medical complications due to the nature of your work duties, you are likely covered by your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance policy under California law. The state requires almost every employer to carry this insurance, and all employers must classify their workers accurately.

While the workers’ compensation system is designed to be intuitive and accessible to the injured workers who need these benefits the most, many victims of workplace injuries encounter severe challenges with their claims. In addition, others have difficulty proving the full extent of their conditions, especially when it comes to acquired medical conditions, illnesses, and adverse health effects that gradually worsen over time.

Repetitive Motion and Repetitive Stress Injuries

The terms “repetitive motion injury” and “repetitive stress injury” are typically used interchangeably to describe adverse physical conditions that develop over time from repetitive performance of manual tasks. For example, if an assembly line worker must operate machinery levers with one arm many times a day every day at work, over time, their arm could develop repetitive stress injuries from the ongoing wear and tear.

Some of the most commonly reported repetitive stress injuries that lead to workers’ compensation claims in California include:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome. This condition affects the joints in the wrists, hands, and fingers. Anyone who must type and use a computer for work potentially faces this condition. Like arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome can cause painful inflammation, interfere with fine motor functions, and cause ongoing disruption in the victim’s personal life outside work. This condition may improve with ongoing care, but advanced cases may compel those affected to seek alternative work that is not as demanding on the joints of their wrists and hands.
• Rotator cuff injuries. The rotator cuff is the joint system of the shoulder that includes a network of soft tissues in the arm, chest, neck, and back. Lifting, carrying heavy objects, and operating heavy machinery are just a few examples of work duties that may cause repetitive stress injuries of this nature. Some of these injuries will require surgery to correct, and this can cause scar tissue formation. Over time, any rotator cuff injury will leave the victim vulnerable to further injury in the same area, and they could experience diminished strength in the affected region of the body.
• Knee injuries. The soft tissues of the knees undergo incredible strain during anyone’s lifetime. As a result, knees can easily develop repetitive stress injuries in workers who must carry heavy objects, operate complex machinery, and navigate complex workspaces. Over time, an unaddressed knee injury could lead to permanent mobility problems.
• Back injuries. Any soft tissue damage in the back can be incredibly painful and debilitating. Anyone who spends a significant amount of time on their feet for work or who performs intensive physical labor risks back problems the longer they continue this type of work. Some back injuries can have excruciating symptoms, and the surgical options available for those afflicted by serious back problems are often very risky.

There are many other ways for workers to develop repetitive stress injuries in various workplaces. Some of these conditions are manageable and may even improve with time and effective treatment. Unfortunately, others cause lasting harm, and if a victim of such an injury attempts to continue working, they are likely to only make their injury worse.

Filing Your Workers’ Compensation Claim in Torrance, CA

The workers’ compensation claim filing process is similar to how you would file any other type of insurance claim. An experienced Torrance repetitive motion injury attorney can help you file your claim. However, proving a repetitive motion injury resulted from your work can be difficult, and your attorney may need to secure expert witness testimony from a qualified medical professional to substantiate your claim. You will also need to undergo a medical examination from a physician approved by the workers’ compensation insurance carrier.

Once you have fulfilled the preliminary requirements of your claim, you can submit it to the insurance company for review. All insurance companies in the United States are legally obligated to process claims efficiently and in good faith. However, if you believe any insurance company has mishandled your claim, our team can assist you in addressing the matter and ensuring your claim receives the appropriate attention and consideration it deserves.

It’s important to remember that fault does not necessarily factor into most workplace injury claims. It’s possible to recover workers’ compensation benefits even if you caused the injury to yourself as long as you performed your job duties and acted within the scope of your work responsibilities. For example, a workers’ compensation insurance carrier could deny a claim if there is any evidence an employee caused their own injury due to intoxication in the workplace or some other violation of workplace safety regulations.

Benefits Available From Workers’ Compensation Insurance

When a workers’ compensation claim is approved, the injured claimant can typically expect full compensation for all their medical expenses. One of California’s biggest difficulties facing victims of repetitive stress injuries is the challenge of proving their injuries happened from their work. However, once they have proven their conditions are the result of the work-related duties they perform each day, their employer’s insurance will cover the cost of any immediate medical expenses and ongoing costs associated with managing their symptoms.

The second form of benefits available to an injured worker is ongoing disability compensation. If an injury prevents the employee from working until they recover, the insurance carrier may pay weekly benefits of about two-thirds of the claimant’s average weekly wage. It’s also possible for a claimant to qualify for partial disability benefits if they can manage light duty or alternative, lower-paying work after their injury. Benefits will continue for up to 104 weeks for most claimants or until they reach maximum medical improvement.

How a Torrance Repetitive Motion Injury Attorney Can Help Your Recovery Efforts

When you are struggling with a complex repetitive motion injury caused by your everyday responsibilities at work, an experienced Torrance repetitive motion injury attorney can help you determine your best available options for securing benefits to help you recover. Some claimants may only need temporary assistance to recover from the effects of a repetitive stress injury and/or train for a different job. Others face more challenging roads to recovery due to severe permanent complications from their repetitive stress injuries.

Pratt Williams is a team of experienced California attorneys who have helped many past clients recover substantial compensation for their workplace injuries. However, we know how difficult it can be to prove that your repetitive stress injury directly resulted from your work duties. In addition, there is no guarantee that your employer will cooperate with your recovery efforts.

In the event a workers’ compensation insurance carrier asserts that your repetitive stress injury did not manifest from your work duties, we can potentially secure testimony from a qualified medical expert who can prove otherwise. Success with your case is likely to require proving a direct causal link between the manual tasks you perform each day and the specific regions of your body afflicted by the repetitive stress injury in question.

Depending on the nature of your injury, you could also have grounds to seek further compensation through alternative legal means, but this is rare for workers’ compensation claims involving repetitive stress injuries. The greatest challenge facing most claimants with these injuries is proving they occurred from work, and our team is ready to help you meet this challenge in your pursuit of benefits.

Time is critical to anyone’s recovery efforts following a workplace injury. Unfortunately, when it comes to repetitive motion injuries acquired over time, once they reach critical points, those affected may no longer be able to bear the symptoms and manage their work duties. In these situations, injured workers need legal counsel they can trust to help them secure as much compensation as possible for their injury.

A repetitive motion injury may not seem as serious as a critical traumatic injury, but the reality is that any repetitive stress injury can be incredibly disruptive. If continuing your job duties would make your injury worse, you may be compelled to seek alternative work and train for new job duties, potentially resulting in a loss of earning potential. Whatever your unique case may entail, Pratt Williams has the professional legal experience you need on your side to make informed decisions about your recovery efforts.

If you or a loved one is contending with debilitating symptoms of a repetitive stress injury in Torrance, the right attorney can make a tremendous positive difference in the outcome of your recovery efforts. Contact Pratt Williams today and schedule a consultation with our team to learn how we can help you recover from your repetitive stress injury from work.