When you think of injuries on the job, you might conjure up images of construction workers falling off of roofs or a piece of heavy machinery hurting someone in a factory. The truth of the matter is that many times, workplace injuries are not so dramatic. In fact, people file for workers’ comp for smaller injuries that have occurred over time.
If you’re experiencing an injury that developed over time, here is some key information you need to know.
Injuries That Occur Over Time
Injuries that happen over time are called cumulative trauma injuries or repetitive trauma injuries. You get them from doing repetitive motions day in and day out. There are many different types of jobs and activities that can cause injuries in the long run if you do them repetitively.
For example, an administrative assistant who is typing and using their mouse all day may experience carpal tunnel. Or, a grocery clerk could start having back pain from standing all day. A physical therapist may feel pain in their arms because they use them every day to help patients.
Some injuries you may suffer from because of repetitive motions at work include:
- Tendinitis
- Hearing loss (repetitive sound exposure)
- Back, neck, and shoulder injuries
- Carpal tunnel
- Knee injuries
- Emotional injury
- Rotator cuff injuries
Your injury could require you to take medication, get surgery, use medical equipment, go to physical therapy appointments, and much more. You’ll come up with a treatment plan with your doctor. It’s important that you follow it closely so that you recover quicker.
Getting Workers’ Comp for an Injury Over Time
Under California’s workers’ comp laws, you are able to receive compensation for repetitive injuries that occur over time – as long as they are directly related to what you do at your job.
Keep in mind that in California, you must report your workplace injury to your employer within 30 days of the incident. Since your injury occurred over time, your time frame for filing your report will begin on the date you first missed work because of your injury or illness or the date that your doctor told you that your injury was workplace-related.
Additionally, along with filing the report, you will need to file your workers’ compensation claim within the year for it to still be valid. In California, you can get workers’ comp wage loss (temporary disability) for up to 104 weeks, or two years total for most cases. Sometimes, it can be extended depending on your specific circumstances, though.
Do You Need a Workers’ Comp Attorney?
Proving repetitive injuries can be tricky. If you have a workers’ comp attorney on your side, you could more easily prove that your injuries occurred as a result of your work duties and have the best chance possible of getting the maximum benefit amount. Additionally, your attorney can ensure you meet the deadlines and file the right papers, and that you use your own doctor instead of the insurance company’s doctor. If you have a special case, it’s especially critical to hire an attorney.
Look for a workers’ comp attorney who is experienced and has the case results to back up their work. Then, you can be sure you’ll be in good hands.
Contacting Tichy Law
If you are experiencing repetitive injuries from your workplace duties, then contact the workers’ compensation attorneys Tichy Law Inc. at (916) 444-0321 for a free consultation. We look forward to hearing from you.
