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Carpal tunnel syndrome is a progressive and often painful condition that affects workers across the world. Carpal tunnel is caused when the nerve that runs from the forearm to the palm is pressed repeatedly until the canal shrinks, resulting in nerve irritation. Carpal tunnel is characterized by numbness, tingling or burning sensation in the fingers and thumb, loss of dexterity and grip strength, and chronic pain.
If you’re suffering from carpal tunnel, you may be wondering if your job is to blame, and whether you should hire a personal injury attorney to sue for damages. In this article, we’ll go over the common causes of carpal tunnel and what a personal injury attorney can do for you
What Causes Carpal Tunnel?
Carpel tunnel can have a variety of causes, including pregnancy and disease, but the most common cause is trauma resulting from repetitive motion of the hand and wrist. Activities that can cause this trauma include typing, assembly line work, painting, playing musical instruments, sewing, and so on. Jobs that require the use of vibrating tools may also prompt the development of carpel tunnel.
Trauma can also result from an accident that injures the wrist, like a car accident or a workplace injury.
Can I Make a Legal Claim for Carpal Tunnel?
If you get a diagnosis of CTS, you may be entitled to compensation for your medical costs and related losses, but only if you can determine the cause of your condition. You can often pursue workers’ compensation even after you’ve left a job if you determine that repetitive motion from that job caused your CTS. Most states recognize CTS as a compensable medical injury, and in some states you can recover compensation for the resulting level of your disability as well as medical expenses and lost wages.
You can hire a personal injury attorney and pursue a case if your condition was caused by an event unrelated to work, like a car accident. You may also be able to pursue Social Security Disability Benefits.
The best personal injury lawyers for your case are lawyers who have experience with workplace safety issues or accident law, depending on the cause of your condition.
