What to Do when Your Job is Making Your Carpal Tunnel Worse

By Darwin F. Johnson on September 20th, 2017 in Atlanta Workers Comp, Ergonomics, injury prevention, workplace injuries

Most people believe that if they have a pre-existing condition,  they are out of luck if they are injured on the job because their original condition was sustained outside of the workplace. While a pre-existing condition like carpal tunnel syndrome will compensate a workers’ compensation claim, our workers compensation lawyers in Atlanta know that your employer is responsible for providing financial compensation should your carpal tunnel syndrome become aggravated while on the job to the point that it affects your work.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is one of the most common pre-existing conditions in the United States, and also one of the most likely to have its symptoms exaggerated in the workplace. Carpal tunnel syndrome is usually diagnosed by the presence of a distinct sensation of numbness in the fingers or toes, which becomes worse when the median nerve (a nerve running down the center of the wrist) is compressed, or the worker has to repeat the same motion over and over again.

Working in nearly any type of environment has the potential to aggravate the symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome, and repeated use can cause an undue amount of stress on the wrist and make it difficult or impossible to do your job.

Many employers will try to deny a workers’ compensation claim that stems from a pre-existing condition because they incorrectly believe that if the injury was not originally sustained at work, they are not responsible for providing compensation. You’ll need to provide medical documentation that supports your claim that, while your injury was sustained outside of work, the conditions of your workplace have made your carpal tunnel syndrome worse.

Our workers compensation lawyers in Atlanta can help you gather the necessary medical documentation needed to supplement your case, and will improve the likelihood of receiving the maximum settlement should your employer deny your claim. Contact us today to learn more about receiving compensation for your carpal tunnel injury.