Getting relief for carpal tunnel syndrome in Illinois
I came across an article I previously wrote about carpal tunnel syndrome which I thought would be of value for my readers.
If you have a job that involves regularly repeating the same physical movements with your hands or wrists, you may develop pain or discomfort or difficulty doing your job. You may have developed Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS), which is an injury to the nerve and tendons between your forearm and hand.
The effects of CTS can include numbness or pain in your wrist or hand. But it can be more severe, and you may lose control over some of your wrist or hand muscles. The pain or discomfort may even travel further and affect your arm or shoulder.
Typically you can see this type of injury in workers that are repeatedly and forcefully using their hands and wrists in grasping or bending motions, or workers that are typing for extended periods of time.
Though CTS is usually thought of as a repetitive injury that develops over time, a sudden injury can cause the symptoms to surface, or a trauma can aggravate an already existing issue.
Since CTS is most frequently a condition that takes time to develop and to discover, it can complicate some issues of getting workers’ compensation benefits to pay for your treatments. You will need to show that your injury is job related, and you will need to be sure not to miss any time limit periods. Seeing a doctor at the earliest suspected symptoms, and being very honest with your doctor about everything you have experienced can help these issues.
In Illinois, if your CTS is job related, you are entitled to reimbursement for your medical bills, including your co-pays and out-of-pocket expenses. You could also be entitled to compensation for lost wages from missed work, and for any permanent effects of the injury.
So you’ll want to be sure that your medical records have details about how your injury developed, and what activities you were doing. Cases have turned in the worker’s favor where there was solid medical evidence that the condition was caused from the worker’s using his arm or hand in performing his work duties. Even if you have a CTS-related problem already, if you make the existing condition worse, Illinois law says that you can get benefits under workers’ compensation.
Medical records can also help pinpoint the start date, to be sure that you don’t miss a critical notice or filing date. These dates can make the difference between being able to pursue you case, or losing out on being able to bring it because it’s too late.
Many treatments are available for CTS, so it is important to see your doctor if you suspect this may be happening to you. If it is job related, getting workers’ compensation benefits can be extremely helpful, so speaking with a lawyer that is very experienced with CTS cases can help get you covered.
We are workers' compensation attorneys that help people with Illinois work injuries anywhere in IL via our statewide network of attorneys. Contact us and we will answer your questions or find the right lawyer for your situation.
Regarding Carpal Tunnels and Workers Comp. I'm very confident confident that many people like myself you went to work everyday and wore splints never even knew that CTS could be a workers comp case. I truly believe most companies would rather have it handled through their regular health insurance they offer there workers vs workers comp. This way if you have a deductible/out of pocket they won't have to pay for it. And for most people the deductible is quite high. The burden of that cost will fall on the employee through there companies traditional health insurance.
I've learned many lessons and any time you have an issue regarding your health and it's work related be sure to notify your HR dept and seek medical treatment immediately.
Companies need to be more diligent in informing employees of their rights and what constitutes workers comp vs a regular health insurance issue.
hi mike,
i recently got rear ended in an auto accident. Because of arm pain
my primary care dr. sent me to a neuroglist that discovered capral tunnel both hands. approx 1 mo. ago.
my 03 work comp case has not settled on permancy from three level cervical fusion
(insurance carrier accept) deyning shoulder low back. no work since 03 accident, do i file a new claim for CTS? the dr said it was because of my work. aircraft mechanic.
thanks,
dazed and confused
WE REPLY: It sounds like a new case, but we'd need to see your medical records in order to help out.