Warehouse and assembly line work keeps the American supply chain moving, but it takes a massive toll on your body. While everyone knows the dangers of a forklift crash or a slip-and-fall, many serious disabilities in these jobs come from a much quieter source. Repetitive stress injuries (RSIs), or cumulative trauma, happen slowly. Because there isn’t one dramatic accident, proving these injuries are work-related can be tricky, but it is far from impossible.
If your daily grind has caused your body to break down, you have rights. However, getting workers’ compensation for these injuries takes a smart approach to your medical history and evidence.
Identifying the Wear and Tear
RSIs happen when your muscles and tendons do the same thing over and over without enough time to heal. In a warehouse, maybe you’re a packer twisting to move boxes hundreds of times a shift. On the line, maybe you’re holding a vibrating tool in the exact same position all day. This leads to issues like carpal tunnel, tendonitis, and rotator cuff tears.
Unlike a broken bone, these injuries don’t always show up instantly on an X-ray. The damage starts small and builds up until the pain is unbearable. Because it happens gradually, insurance companies love to argue that you hurt yourself at home, or that it’s just “getting older.” Overcoming that doubt is your main goal.
Connecting the Pain to the Job
To win your case, you have to connect the dots between your specific tasks and your diagnosis. It’s not enough to simply say “my back hurts.” You need to really look at the reality of your workday. Were you pushed to meet quotas that didn’t allow for breaks? Did the equipment force you into awkward positions?
When you spend ten hours a day doing the same motion, that trauma adds up. Attorneys often see cases where a worker is forced to lift heavy inventory from a conveyor belt that is set too low, forcing them to stoop and twist simultaneously, a nightmare for the lumbar spine. Or perhaps you are an assembly worker required to use a pinch grip on small parts thousands of times a day, wrecking the tendons in your wrist. These aren’t just “aches and pains”; they are mechanical failures of the body caused by poor workplace design.
Qualified attorneys use job descriptions, statements from your coworkers, and sometimes ergonomic experts to prove that your injury is a direct result of your job requirements. They might even look at the “pick rates” or production speeds demanded by your supervisors to show that you were physically unable to perform the job safely. By breaking down exactly how you move and the pressure you were under, your attorney can fight back against the idea that this has nothing to do with work.
Why Your Doctor Matters
Your medical records are your best defense. You need to see a doctor the moment you notice pain, even if you think you can “tough it out.” This creates a timeline that stops insurance companies from claiming you got hurt over the weekend. Your attorney will make sure your doctor understands exactly what you do for a living.
Details are everything. A note that says “shoulder pain” is weak. A note that says “shoulder pain caused by lifting 20-pound boxes overhead for 40 hours a week” is strong. This level of detail makes it very hard for the opposition to deny your claim.
Don’t Wait to Report It
Many workers stay quiet because they fear getting fired or hope the pain will go away. In workers’ comp cases, silence is dangerous. Many states have strict time limits on filing claims. With RSIs, the “date of injury” is usually the day you got diagnosed or the day the pain finally made you stop working.
Report the injury in writing immediately and keep a copy. This proves you told your employer and forces them to take action. If they try to talk you out of filing, you need legal help right away.
Protecting Your Future
When it comes to RSIs, the system puts the burden of proof on you, the worker. Employers know RSIs are harder to prove than clear-cut accidents, and they will try to use that to save money. An attorney handles the paperwork, the records, and the arguments to ensure you get covered for medical bills and lost wages.
Repetitive stress injuries can threaten your ability to earn a living. Don’t let an insurance company dismiss your pain as just “part of the job.” If your work is hurting you, contact our team at Pencheff and Fraley today. We are ready to fight for the benefits you’ve earned.
Visit our qualified team at the following addresses:
- Westerville: 4151 Executive Pkwy, Suite 355, Westerville, OH 43081
- Mansfield: 33 S. Lexington-Springmill Rd, Mansfield, OH 44906
Call now for a free consultation on (614) 224-4114.
