How You Move—Or Don’t—Can Create Serious Work-Related Injuries
One awkward position or difficult movement may not cause you lasting pain. However, continued awkward positions or difficult movements at work can cause you to suffer a disabling musculoskeletal injury. Musculoskeletal injuries develop over time and include injuries to muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage and the nervous system.
What Can Happen to You?
You may suffer a serious injury from any of the following work-related activities or conditions;
- Sedentary activities. Your bones and your joints may suffer if you sit too much at work or if you sit in one position for too long at work.
- Repetitive motions. Repetitive motions—such as typing, cooking, or doing assembly-line work—can result in serious musculoskeletal injuries.
- Heavy lifting. Overexertion is a leading cause of back pain. Sprains, strains, and herniated disks may all result from repeated heaving lifting, leaving you in pain and potentially unable to work.
- Vibrations. Whether you suffer from whole-body vibration or hand-arm vibration exposure, you may be in serious pain due to damage to your nervous system or circulatory system.
Back pain, tendinitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, and other conditions can develop from these types of workplace activities. If you experience any pain, weakness, or unusual fatigue, then it is important to notify your employer and to get a prompt diagnosis and treatment plan for your injuries.
What Happens If You’ve Been Hurt?
Employers have not only a moral duty to do what they can to protect their workers from injury, but also a legal duty to comply with all applicable federal and state safety regulations. In many cases, occupational musculoskeletal injuries could have been avoided if proper safety precautions were taken. These precautions could include making accommodations in the workplace, allowing employees to take breaks, and providing adequate safety training.
It is too late to go back and prevent your injury, but you remain in charge of your own recovery.
If you suffered any kind of musculoskeletal injury because of work-related activities, then you may have the right to have your health care costs covered and to receive benefits to help you with your lost income. In some circumstances, you may be entitled to additional damages. Contact attorney Steve Lee today to find out more about your rights and to make sure that your full recovery is protected.