When people think of Workers’ Comp, they often think of things like industrial accidents or serious work injuries. In reality, Workers’ Comp can cover all kinds of work-related injuries, including things like carpal tunnel syndrome.
Even if your injury happened over time, you can still file a Workers’ Comp claim for your injuries. This can cover you while you are out of work, cover medical care and rehabilitation, and help you get what you need to provide for your family while you are unable to work at full capacity.
For a free review of your case, call Cardamone Law’s Certified Workers’ Compensation Specialists for carpal tunnel injuries at (267) 651-7945.
What Exactly is Carpal Tunnel?
The carpal tunnel is a section of the wrist with space between the bones and muscles where tendons, nerves, and ligaments pass down the length of your wrist. Inside of that is the medial nerve. When this nerve gets compressed, you can get carpal tunnel syndrome.
This often includes pain and numbness in the hands and wrist. You can get it from all sorts of hand and wrist movements and repetitive stress, especially typing.
People usually need medical care because the pain and tingling become so intense they interfere with work, sleep, and other daily tasks.
When Does Workers’ Comp Cover Carpal Tunnel?
Workers’ Comp covers work-related injuries. We usually think of this as covering traumatic, acute injuries, but hand, wrist, tendon, and nerve injuries can also be covered.
Work-Related
If your carpal tunnel came from your work tasks, then it should be covered. This would include injuries from typing – whether at your workplace or elsewhere – as long as that is part of your typical job duties.
Carpal tunnel usually happens over time, so you would need to be able to show that you typed a lot of performed other repetitive tasks over time that could have contributed to your carpal tunnel.
If it is clear the injury came from tasks outside of work, then it might be harder to link it to work tasks. However, if both work tasks and personal tasks contributed to your carpal tunnel, it can still be covered as work-related.
Disabling
For Workers’ Comp to pay for wage-loss benefits, the injury has to actually be disabling. This means that it keeps you from work for at least 7 days and results in reduced wages now and potentially into the future.
If you can still work but you require more breaks or fewer hours, that can potentially still get you Workers’ Comp.
The Claim Process
Filing a Workers’ Comp claim usually takes the following steps:
Initial Notice
You have up to 120 days to report your injury to your employer, though you are typically expected to report injuries within 21 days.
From there, they get 21 days to deny your claim.
Claim Petition
After they deny your claim, you can file a Claim Petition with a Workers’ Comp Judge. This takes the decisions about your case away from your employer and gives them to the judge.
Evidence Collection
To support your claim, you need evidence. We will need you to attend medical appointments, and your employer can demand that you see their doctors as well. We will also collect witness depositions to discuss your work tasks and how the injury was related to them.
The Hearing
Workers’ Comp claims then go to a hearing before the Workers’ Comp Judge. This is potentially one or multiple actual hearing dates before the judge has enough information to render their decision.
Decision or Settlement
If you await the judge’s decision, they can order your employer to pay your benefits. Alternatively, you can potentially settle with your employer before getting to that stage.
Then, our Workers’ Comp lawyers can review the settlement offer, negotiate if necessary, and advise you to accept. If you do, the judge has to sign off on the agreement in a hearing before the settlement is valid.
What Does Workers’ Comp Cover?
Workers’ Compensation pays for all medical care to treat your injury. This can involve surgeries, wrist braces, rehabilitation, physical therapy, and more.
It can also pay for around 2/3 of your lost earnings or the difference between pre- and post-injury earnings. These amounts are subject to a cap at the statewide average weekly wages and a floor at half that or 90% of your pre-injury wage (whichever is lower).
Workers’ Comp can also pay for specific loss benefits for amputation and permanent lost function, but this is not typical with carpal tunnel.
FAQs for Carpal Tunnel Injuries at Work in Pittsburgh
Can I Get Workers’ Comp for a “Desk Job”?
Even if your job is not physically demanding, it can still cause you injuries. Workers’ Comp is designed to cover all work-related injuries for all employees in Pennsylvania, whether they work “desk jobs” or more dangerous jobs.
Is Remote Work Covered?
As long as you are performing work-related tasks that cause your injury, it should be covered. It should not make a difference if your injury occurred from work at an office, work from home, or work on a laptop at a café.
Can Workers’ Comp Cover Pain and Suffering?
Many carpal tunnel cases see workers return to work and get all medical are covered, leaving pain and suffering as their primary concern. These damages are not covered under Workers’ Comp, but you can sue for them if there is a relevant third party to sue.
Can You Sue for Carpal Tunnel?
It is often difficult to prove that anyone might be at fault for your carpal tunnel. You could potentially claim that improper job training or a defective ergonomic keyboard caused or accelerated your injury, but we would have to examine that argument on a case-by-case basis.
You cannot sue an employer for a work-related injury, though; you would typically have to sue an outside third party.
Call Our Workers’ Comp Lawyers for Carpal Tunnel Injuries in Pittsburgh
Call Cardamone Law’s Workers’ Comp lawyers for carpal tunnel at (267) 651-7945 today.
