Do you have carpal tunnel syndrome? Do you think it’s related to your job? If so, call us at (312) 346-5578 or fill out our contact form. We have experience with these cases and cover all of Illinois. As always, it’s free to contact us and there is no fee unless we are successful. Read on for more information.
A very interesting thing about helping injured Illinois workers is that for no explainable reason I will hear the same questions from different people in a short period of time. Recently, within 30 minutes of each other, I got a call from a hotel maid and an accountant who had the same question. They wanted to know how they could show that their carpal tunnel syndrome is work related.
Although carpal tunnel can develop from a forceful impact such as falling on to your hands, it most commonly occurs with repetitive activity that puts pressure/strain on your wrists. And while one of these callers is on her feet all day and the other sits behind a desk, they both have something in common. They both are continuously using their hands in a repetitive nature.
The accountant estimated that she types over four hours per day and more than that in busy tax season which is when her problems became more severe and required medical treatment. The housekeeper is at a busy hotel and is cleaning all day.
So to me it’s obvious that their carpal tunnel is work related under the standards of Illinois workers’ compensation law. That standard is that the job is a contributing factor to the problem developing. It doesn’t have to be the sole factor or even the main factor, just part of the problem.
Me knowing that this is true is not enough to win a case. They will need a medical opinion, preferably from an orthopedic doctor, that their carpal tunnel is work related. This is where things get tricky. First off, doctors don’t always know the law or the standard that they need to offer their opinion on. They may think that they have to say it’s the only reason you have a problem and that simply isn’t true. The other issue is that you can’t assume that they know what your job entails. It’s really important that you provide them with detailed specifics of what you do, how you do it, how often you do it, what you notice about yourself physically, etc.
If a doctor doesn’t have a full, correct description of what you do it makes their opinion not credible. It’s incredibly important to your case.
What we don’t want you to do is guess what you need to ask the doctor. One of the best things an attorney can do for someone in this type of case is guide them through the process including this very important communication. If you would like our help, please do not hesitate to get in touch with us.
