Category: Workers’ Compensation

It can start as a dull pain and morph into a medical condition that requires intensive medical intervention. On the other hand, carpel tunnel syndrome can come out of nowhere to cause excruciating pain that at times can require immediate surgery.

What happens is the median nerve passing into the hand becomes painfully compressed. The median nerve generates the touch sensation for the thumb, long finger, index finger, and a section of the ring finger. Swelling that produces the compression of the median nerve of the hand can lead to a number of symptoms.

Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

One of the common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome is one or both of your hands “fall asleep.” Although the “fall asleep” condition is a temporary phase that typically affects the arms and legs, when it becomes one or both of your hands, then the numbness is probably the result of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Here are the other symptoms of the medical condition:

• Tingling of the hand
• Intense pain in the thumb and the largest three fingers
• Burning sensation that moves up one or both arms
• Nighttime wrist pain that disrupts sleep
• Hand muscle weakness

How is Carpal Tunnel Treated?

You can treat mild carpal tunnel syndrome on your own by stopping the activity that causes the symptoms. A splint stabilizing the hand can reduce the nerve pressure causing the compression along the wrist. In many cases, your physician should examine the extent of the condition to determine the best course of medical action.

Doctors implement two strategies for treating mild to severe carpal tunnel syndrome. Medication is prescribed to mitigate the painful symptoms, such as swelling and inflammation. Your physician might recommend surgery that requires cutting the ligament touching the affected median nerve. However, surgery comes with risks, including scarring, infection, and/or nerve damage.

If you contracted carpal tunnel syndrome at work, you might be eligible to recover monetary damages to cover lost wages and medical bills.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Injuries Caused by Work

Carpal tunnel syndrome impacts one out of every 20 American workers. According to the United States Department of Labor, the medical condition is the number one reason why American employees miss work. Carpal tunnel is most often connected to repetitive on the job functions, such as typing, screwing nails, packaging materials, and lifting heavy objects into a truck.

Here are the industries with the highest incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome:

• Administration
• Apparel manufacturing
• Food processing
• Textile
• Fabric finishing
• Animal slaughtering

If you are employed in any of the listed industries, it is essential to take frequent breaks to avoid suffering from a repetitive motion injury. Otherwise, you might place enough pressure on the median nerve to set the pain train rolling. Consult with a doctor first, before seeking legal help from an Illinois licensed workers’ compensation attorney.

Compensation for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Although you cannot sue your employer for contracting carpal tunnel syndrome, you might have a valid claim for receiving compensation from the Illinois workers’ compensation program. The process for seeking financial relief from the Illinois workers’ compensation program differs greatly than the process for seeking monetary damages from a civil court.

Companies are responsible for funding workers’ compensation insurance. You do not have to prove your company acted negligently, just that your carpal tunnel syndrome symptoms are directly related to your job functions. It might seem like a straightforward legal process, but many companies like to derail claims by implementing different tactics.

Speak with an Illinois licensed personal injury lawyer to level the legal playing field between you and your employer when it comes to proving carpal tunnel symptoms on the job,

What Determines the Value of a Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Claim?

How much Illinois workers’ compensation pays out for a claim depends on several cost factors.

• Number of doctor visits
• Prescriptions
• Rehabilitation
• Lost wages
• Surgery
• Supportive medical devices

Sometimes, carpel tunnel cases can be severe enough to warrant payment for a permanent disability claim. Such a claim also requires the legal counsel of an accomplished personal injury lawyer.

Two Illinois carpal tunnel syndrome lawsuits since 2010 have ended in settlements for the plaintiffs that exceeded $1 million. Both plaintiffs worked closely with highly rated personal injury attorneys to present their claims.

Take the same road taken by the winning plaintiffs by scheduling a free initial consultation today with our team of personal injury attorneys. You have nothing to lose; you’ll pay nothing out of pocket for our services. If we don’t get you compensation, we don’t get paid.

Frederick & Hagle serves people throughout Central Illinois, including Champaign-Urbana, Kankakee, Danville, Decatur, and Mattoon, Champaign County, Vermillion County, Macon County, Kankakee County, and Coles County.

The pain starts as a dull sensation that slowly grows into a throbbing pain inhibiting your performance at work. What causes the pain depends on your professional vocation.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a medical condition that develops because of the pressure placed on the median nerve running through one or both wrists. Repetitive motions of the wrist can trigger carpal tunnel symptoms that range from the dull sensation we mentioned to excruciating pain that requires surgery.

Workers living in Illinois have the right to recover money for carpal tunnel injuries that happen on the job. Because of the aggressive way many employers fight against carpal tunnel claims, it is highly recommended that anyone suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome contact an Illinois licensed personal injury attorney. The personal injury lawyers at Frederick and Hagle have decades of experienced litigating cases involving on the job injuries.

Possible Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

With each passing year, the list of what causes carpal tunnel syndrome gets longer. Although an individual can contract carpal tunnel because of arthritis, diabetes, or from being pregnant, the injury is typically suffered by someone in a professional capacity or by someone who participates in a recreational activity

Here are a few ways repetitive motion can trigger carpal tunnel syndrome:

• Operating a computer mouse
• Typing
• Playing tennis
• Swinging a golf club
• Turning screwdrivers
• Placing heavy objects on shelves
• Packing materials
• Hammering nails

When the highly rated personal injury attorneys at Frederick & Hagle sit down for an initial consultation with a client, we ask the right questions to determine what caused the client’s carpal tunnel syndrome. The key is to prove the injury was caused because the repetitive motions performed at work.

Are You Eligible to Sue for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?

The short answer is no, but the long answer is to ensure our clients they have the right in Illinois to file a workers’ compensation claim. Filing a workers’ compensation claim is a much different legal process than the legal process that unfolds during civil lawsuits.

Your employer must pay for workers’ compensation insurance, which covers the costs associated with workplace injuries. Workers’ compensation pays out regardless of who is at fault. The tough part is proving you contracted carpal tunnel syndrome on the job. You do not have to prove your employer was negligent; you have to prove you suffer from carpal tunnel symptoms because of one or more work-related activities.

Although on the surface it appears relatively simple to file a workers’ compensation claim, the fact remains many companies fight workers’ compensation claims to avoid paying more for the insurance. Your employer might claim you are an independent contractor and thus, do not qualify for workers’ compensation. Another common way employers try to deny paying for workers’ compensation claims involves saying the injury you suffer from was caused by recklessness. This is an especially effective legal argument if your employer put you through training on how to prevent an injury caused by repetitive motions.

The Potential Value of a Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Claim

At Frederick & Hagle, we make sure our clients receive just compensation from workers’ compensation claims that result from carpal tunnel injuries. The value of your just compensation depends on several factors.

First, we calculate your direct expenses, with medical costs by far representing the biggest expense. By medical costs, we mean everything from receiving a proper diagnosis to undergoing therapy to reduce the pain. Medical costs also include the cost of surgery and the use of a medical device to prevent a repetitive motion injury.

The second most significant expense related to a carpal tunnel injury are the wages lost because of the inability to perform job tasks. You might have to work fewer hours or you might have to miss work for an extended period. Illinois law refers to the compensation awarded for missed time at work as temporary disability benefits. It is important to file for temporary disability benefits as soon as possible to ensure you receive the full amount of money that you deserve.

Finally, if the carpal tunnel injury becomes severe enough to disable you permanently, Illinois law grants workers the right to file a workers’ compensation claim seeking just compensation for the permanent disability.

Get the Just Compensation You Deserve

Carpal tunnel syndrome can cost you thousands of dollars in lost wages and medical expenses. Since 1975, the personal injury lawyers at Frederick & Hagle have successfully litigated for clients that were hurt on the job. Although carpal tunnel syndrome is a relatively recent medical condition that qualifies for workers’ compensation claims, our team of accomplished personal injury attorneys have earned the reputation for being experts in handling cases involving the repetitive motion medical condition.

Schedule a free initial consultation with one of our personal injury lawyers by calling us at (800) 642-1227 or (217) 367-6092. You can also contact us by sending our law office the convenient online form.