This episode opens a new topic for the Workers Comp Matters podcast: repetitive stress injuries, sometimes referred to cumulative trauma, acquired on the job. What happens to someone when someone develops a workplace injury, physical or mental, that can’t be traced back to a single, isolated event? Or what if the injury is the result of cumulative trauma developed under multiple employers?
Bodily wear and tear, the result of daily repetitive labor, is real. Think of the brick mason on his knees for decades or the mechanic crawling under vehicles and lifting heavy items, or the carpal tunnel injuries from working at a keyboard week in and week out. These injuries pose challenges when asked for a “date of injury” on a claim form.
For attorneys representing victims of repetitive stress, clarity is key, explaining clearly to the investigator that there is no single date. The injuries were the result of the entire period of labor. Lawyers need to think creatively to fully communicate that the injury is the direct result of the workplace.
We all “break down” as we age. For a successful claim, attorneys must show that the traumatic “wear and tear” injury is a direct result of the workplace, not simply the result of ordinary aging.
Mentioned in this Episode:
Massachusetts Zerofski Case
The Federal Laws that Affect Workers Compensation Claims
Employer Fraud and Recommendations from New York State Supreme Court’s Grand Jury Report
Medical Marijuana at Work: The Side Effects for Workers’ Compensation
WILG, MBA, and Attorney Generals: Meet the Lawyers Keeping the Workplace Safe
Medical Treatment Guidelines for Injured Workers
Mediation in Workers’ Compensation Cases
Handling and Preventing Shoulder Injuries
Workers’ Compensation for Harbor Workers and Longshoremen
Chat with Two National Leaders of the Workers' Comp Bar
Improving the Quality of Care for Injured Workers
The National Association of Workers’ Compensation Judiciary
Celebrating 100 Years of Workers’ Compensation
Privacy, Clients and Social Media
Raytheon’s Integrated Disability Program
Fraud & Symptom Magnification in Workers Compensation
The History of Workers’ Compensation & the Workers’ Compensation Centennial 2011
The Intoxication Defense
Workers' Compensation Surveillance
The Occupational Disease Pilot Program & Healthcare
Workers' Compensation in the Immigrant Community
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