Repetitive motion injuries are among the most common workplace injuries reported. People in even reasonably safe professions, like office workers, could end up struggling with a repetitive motion injury. The human body can’t operate like a machine. Joints, muscles and connective tissue can develop damage from doing the same tasks for hours every workday over the course of many years.
The more time someone has the same job and the more frequently they perform the same motions, the greater their risk of acquiring a repetitive motion injury. Workers may be able to file a claim for California workers’ compensation benefits when the work that they do directly contributes to their condition.
How can filing a workers’ compensation claim help someone who is dealing with a repetitive motion injury?
They can obtain medical care
Many workers do not have health insurance provided by their employers. Even if they do, they may have to pay a large deductible and coinsurance for their care costs. The medical coverage available through workers compensation can give someone full medical benefits, meaning they will not need to pay for their own care.
They can take a leave of absence
Repetitive motion injuries often continue to worsen if someone keeps working the same job. It may take weeks away from work in conjunction with medical treatment to get someone’s symptoms under control. The disability benefits available through workers’ compensation can help someone pay their bills when they take time off to heal. Permanent partial disability benefits for persistent symptoms can help workers cope with reduced income if they need to change professions.
They can ask for accommodations
When an employer knows that someone has a job-related health issue, they may more readily agree to offer certain accommodations. The doctor overseeing someone’s treatment may propose a change to someone’s work responsibilities. They may suggest ergonomic equipment or assistive technology. Those with an active workers’ compensation claim may have an easier time than the average employee securing accommodations that allow them to stay at work or return to work as quickly as possible.
Understanding the benefits that workers derive from a workers’ compensation claim may help people overcome their initial aversion to filing a claim.
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