Workplace Repetitive Motion Injury Lawyer in Hollywood, FL
Employees often develop repetitive motion or repetitive trauma injuries that develop over an extended period of time while working for their employers. Unfortunately, the nature of repetitive motion injuries can make it challenging to prove that the specific injury resulted from the employee’s work. Because of that, employees suffering repetitive motion injuries often have their workers’ compensation claims wrongfully denied by their employer or the workers’ compensation insurance carrier.
If you or a family member developed a repetitive motion or repetitive trauma injury at work, an attorney from Rosen & Ohr, P.A., can help you pursue the maximum benefits you deserve. Our law firm has been fighting for the rights of injured workers in Hollywood and throughout South Florida for decades. Our firm aggressively fights for your rights while treating you with the compassion and respect you deserve. We won’t hesitate to take your case to a formal final hearing or court when necessary.
If you were diagnosed with a repetitive motion injury caused by your job duties at work, get the legal help you need to pursue maximum benefits through a workers’ compensation claim. Contact Rosen & Ohr, P.A., for a free case evaluation with one of our workplace repetitive injury lawyers in Hollywood, FL. It is important to call an attorney as soon as possible so that you can get legal advice right away.
What Is a Repetitive Motion Injury?
A repetitive motion injury, also known as a repetitive strain injury or a repetitive trauma injury, may involve damage to muscles, tendons, ligaments, other soft tissues, and nerves due to constant repetitive motions. Performing the same action or motion over and over for an extended period causes minute amounts of damage that build up, eventually leading to an injury in or around joints that triggers chronic pain, stiffness, weakness, and reduced range of motion.
Common Examples of Workplace Repetitive Motion Injuries
Repetitive tasks at work can cause specific medical conditions, such as:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Tennis elbow
- Low back pain
- Tendonitis
- Bursitis
- Trigger finger
- Osgood-Schlatter disease
- Shin splints
- Muscle and tendon strains
- Ligament sprains
- Bulging or herniated spinal discs
- Nerve compression syndrome
- Tenosynovitis
- Rotator cuff injuries
- Raynaud’s disease
Common Causes of Repetitive Motion Injuries in Hollywood, FL
Repetitive stress injuries are often associated with work on assembly lines or with someone that does the same repetitive motion over and over such as typing, but employees in virtually any line of work can develop overuse injuries if their job duties involve repeated motions, awkward positions, heavy lifting, or other factors. Various activities at work can lead employees to develop repetitive motion injuries, including these examples:
- Making the same physical motions for extended periods without breaks
- Over-the-road truckers and other drivers that bounce up and down repeatedly
- Holding static postures for extended periods
- Performing work tasks in awkward postures
- Extended use of vibrating tools or equipment
- Performing heavy exertion without stretching or warming up
- Performing repeated forceful movements, such as hammering nails or moving heavy items
- Lack of ergonomic tools or workspaces, including an unergonomic computer keyboard
- Lifting heavy objects without using proper form, assistive tools, or the assistance of co-workers
- Lifting and moving awkwardly shaped objects
Seeking Workers’ Compensation and Other Benefits for Repetitive Motion Injuries
Florida workers’ compensation law provides employees with defined financial benefits if they develop a repetitive motion injury due to their work duties. Benefits available to workers who suffer repetitive stress injuries often include:
- Medical benefits – Workers’ compensation pays for the cost of all reasonable and necessary employer-provided treatment and rehabilitation for work-related repetitive motion injuries, including doctor’s visits, specialist appointments, hospitalization, surgery, physical or occupational therapy, diagnostic tests (such as CT scans or MRIs), and prescription drugs. Medical benefits also include mileage reimbursement for travel expenses to and from healthcare providers’ facilities and pharmacies.
- Temporary total disability benefits – Reimburses a portion of an injured worker’s pre-injury Average Weekly Wage (up to a cap) when their injury prevents them from working.
- Temporary partial disability benefits – Reimburses a portion of the injured worker’s wages that may result from working less hours or from a restricted-duty role in line with their medical restrictions.
- Impairment income benefits – Provides financial payments to workers who suffer a permanent impairment, with payments based on the affected body part, severity of impairment, and the worker’s pre-injury average weekly wage.
- Permanent total disability benefits – Continues total disability wage loss benefits for workers that cannot return to the workforce in any capacity after their repetitive motion injury.
Generally, under Florida’s workers’ compensation law, injured workers must notify their employers of repetitive stress injuries within 30 days of the onset of the injury or the first manifestation of symptoms or within 30 days of obtaining a medical diagnosis that their work caused the repetitive stress injury. You must give timely notice to your employer to ensure you receive workers’ compensation benefits.
Generally, the statute of limitations on workers’ compensation petitions imposes a two-year deadline after the onset of a work-related repetitive stress injury to file for benefits with the state workers’ compensation commission. Receipt of medical or indemnity benefits from your employer tolls the limitations period for one year at a time from the receipt of such benefits. However, since all cases and situation are different, you should promptly contact our repetitive motion injury lawyer as soon as possible to ensure you file your workers’ compensation claim on time. Even if you feel the time limits have expired, you should still call our attorneys immediately.
Why You Need Our Hollywood Repetitive Strain Injury Lawyer
Because work-related injuries from repeatedly making the same motion have a prolonged development phase and delayed onset of symptoms, injured workers can find it challenging to prove the work-related nature of a repetitive stress injury. Employers and workers’ compensation insurers may argue that a worker’s repetitive motion injury resulted from a natural degenerative condition (such as arthritis) rather than the injured employee’s work activities.
An experienced attorney from Rosen & Ohr, P.A., can fight for the benefits you need for your work-related repetitive strain injuries. Our firm is ready to advocate for your right to workers’ compensation benefits by thoroughly investigating your claim to secure the evidence we can use to prove the work-related nature of your injury. Our firm can also work with medical and vocational experts to develop compelling testimony connecting your repetitive stress injury to your work duties.
Our attorneys will ensure your workers’ compensation claims get filed on time and deal with insurance adjusters so you can focus on your treatment and rehabilitation. When appropriate, our firm can also negotiate a fair and full settlement of your workers’ comp claim or file benefits petitions to demand the relief you need if your employer or the insurer denies, undervalues, or terminates your benefits.
Contact Our Hollywood Repetitive Stress Injury Attorney Today
If you’ve developed carpal tunnel syndrome or any other overuse injuries from repetitive movements at work, you deserve to seek financial benefits and compensation to help you treat and rehab your injuries. Contact Rosen & Ohr, P.A., today for a free consultation with our Hollywood workers’ compensation attorney.