When your career ends, not with a bang, but a whimper.
Learn how to get workers’ compensation benefits for workplace injuries that develop over time.
A sudden, life-changing accident at work has immediate, obvious consequences. An explosion, a car crash, a serious fall — these types of workplace accidents are obviously devastating and leave visible traumatic injuries. But not all workplace injuries are caused by a traumatic event.
Work injuries can also occur gradually, over time. Unlike a traumatic injury, repetitive stress injuries (RSI) — also known as repetitive motion injuries, cumulative trauma injuries or “overuse syndrome” — don’t typically have immediate consequences and side effects.
Regardless, repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel and chronic back injuries eventually undermine your ability to work and can even make it painful to provide for your family. While pain from an RSI can happen in any profession, some of the most common at-risk jobs and occupations include:
- Nurses, doctors and healthcare professionals
- Janitors and cleaners
- Grocery and stock clerks
- Bus and truck drivers
- Delivery workers
- Plumbers and pipefitters
- Agricultural and meat processing workers
- Firefighters
- Musicians
- Professional athletes
- Construction workers
- Office workers
If you’re experiencing pain from an injury or medical condition that arose from repetitive stress and motion at your job, then you are eligible for disability and workers’ compensation benefits under Montana law — as long as you can prove that your work duties were to blame.
At Murphy Law Firm, our team of experienced lawyers has represented injured workers in and around Great Falls, MT for the last two decades. With 75+ combined years of experience, we can provide the professional legal representation you need to start you on the road to recovery following an occupational injury or illness.
Why hire Murphy Law Firm?
- We put our clients first
- We ONLY represent the injured
- Compassionate, aggressive and personal legal representation
- Licensed attorneys with extensive legal knowledge
- 75+ years of combined experience
- We’ve recovered millions of dollars in settlements for our clients
- Contingency fee (you don’t pay unless we win)
- Free consultation
Attorney Thomas J. Murphy
Founder of Murphy Law Firm
Occupational, non-traumatic injuries are quite common but often go unclaimed by employees who don’t believe they can collect compensation. This is not the case. In Montana, you CAN receive workers’ compensation for repetitive motion injuries caused by your job. Unfortunately, insurers often do everything they can to avoid paying benefits for these injuries. Whether your job requires you to use a jackhammer or a computer keyboard, our team will help investigate the circumstances of your injury to help you get the compensation you deserve.
Case results
Murphy Law Firm has successfully represented thousands of Montanans, including complex workers’ compensation claims.
Common Causes of Repetitive Stress Injuries
As the name suggests, repetitive stress injuries are caused by repeating the same motion over and over again for an extended period of time. While the motion is harmless when done occasionally, repeating the activity often, such as at your job, places stress on particular body parts. Repetitive stress injuries can often leave you unable to work effectively or safely.
Some of the most common causes of RSI include:
- Prolonged typing or computer use
- Sitting at a desk all day
- Stocking store shelves
- Lifting heavy boxes as a delivery carrier or warehouse worker
- Assembly line work in a factory
- Frequently climbing ladders or stairs
- Driving a forklift/operating heavy equipment on a construction site
Even work environments that seem fairly safe can be breeding grounds for repetitive stress injuries, such as in an office, school or hospital.
Types of Repetitive Stress Injuries
Repetitive stress injuries come in many different shapes and sizes. Some of the most common work-related RSIs include:
- Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)
- Wrist and hand injuries, such as carpal tunnel syndrome
- Lower back pain
- Shoulder or joint damage
- Knee damage
- Leg pain
- Hip damage
- Spine trauma
- Disc injuries
- Bursitis
- Tendonitis
- Trigger finger
- Rotator cuff syndrome
- Epicondylitis (tennis elbow)
One of the reasons why repetitive trauma injuries are so serious is because the symptoms often go unnoticed until the injury becomes very severe. If you begin to feel numbness or tingling in a particular area, these symptoms may indicate an injury.
The Montana Department of Labor & Industry has published official utilization and treatment guidelines (updated in January 2018) about what it calls “cumulative trauma conditions.” According to the guidelines: “The Department provides procedures to implement medical treatment guidelines and to foster communication to resolve disputes among the provider, payer, and patient through the Administrative Rules of Montana.”
Visit the official Montana.gov site to view the full guidelines.
When & Why You Need a Lawyer for an RSI Workers’ Comp Claim
Because of the complex nature of worker’s compensation claims involving repetitive stress injuries, you may need a skilled lawyer who can help you prove that your injury was caused by work. Our experienced attorneys can help you:
Get medical care.
Although your employer is required to pair you with a treating physician, we can help you get the medical treatment you deserve if you’re unhappy with the level of care you are receiving.
File an injury report.
Filing a correct report that includes a specific, accurate injury date is difficult when it comes to repetitive trauma injuries, which is why you may need a lawyer who can guide you through this process.
Determine your eligibility.
A lawyer can investigate your case and help you compile evidence that makes you eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
Your lawyer can also help ensure that you are receiving the full workers’ compensation benefits you need to cover your medical care, medication, and any splints or slings you need to wear in order to manage your pain. If you suffer a permanent disability, we can also help you determine your eligibility for wage loss benefits such as temporary (TTD) or permanent total disability (PTD) benefits.
If your claim was denied, your lawyer can also represent you and help make sure you file the appropriate petitions to get the compensation you deserve.
Are You Experiencing Pain From a Repetitive Motion Injury?
Schedule Your FREE Consultation With Experienced Montana Injury Attorneys
Just because repetitive stress injuries aren’t always traumatic, doesn’t mean they should be taken lightly or ignored. These types of workplace injuries are very serious and need to be reported to your employer.
Failing to report your pain can affect your eligibility to receive benefits both now and in the future. If you’ve been diagnosed with a repetitive stress injury, contact our firm today.
At the Murphy Law Firm, we have decades of experience protecting the rights of injured workers in Montana. We’ve successfully recovered millions of dollars in wrongfully denied benefits for past clients. We’ll pursue all remedies you need, while working with experts to establish liability and demand that insurers pay you what you’re owed.
We may be able to help you obtain reimbursement and compensation for:
- Medical bills
- Lost wages
- Travel expenses
- Loss of consortium (income, companionship, child care, etc.)
- Emotional distress (pain and suffering)
- Punitive damages (money given as punishment)
Contact Murphy Law Firm today to schedule your free consultation.
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