Often, patients with work-related repetitive strain injuries like tendinitis don't pursue compensation for their condition because they don't realize that workers compensation covers such conditions.
However, it's important for patients to know that workers compensation doesn't only cover accident-related injuries. Repetitive strain injuries like tendinitis that build up over time are also covered if they are proven to be the result of work tasks.
Tendinitis is very frequently determined to be cause by workplace stressors. Patients can suffer from this debilitating condition in several parts of the body, including the elbow, shoulder, wrist, knee, or Achilles' tendon, and cases of tendinitis can be so severe that they leave workers permanently disabled.
Treatment methods
Tendinitis is treated in a variety of ways. Basic treatment involves rest and medications that alleviate pain and swelling.
In more severe cases, treatment methods like surgery, corticosteroid injections, acute care, and physical therapy are frequently recommended to patients. In addition to covering these types of treatments, workers compensation may also cover loss of wages for those who suffer from tendinitis to such an extreme extent that it prevents them from meeting their job responsibilities.
How can those suffering from tendinitis pursue compensation?
Plaintiffs will not be granted compensation for medical expenses and other pecuniary losses related to tendinitis unless they can prove that their condition is the result of work-related demands. While the process for filing a workers compensation claim typically varies by state, most states require that employees notify their employer that they are suffering from a medical condition related to their work duties within a certain period of time.
Of course, repetitive strain injuries develop over time, so patients may not immediately know that they have tendinitis. In cases of repetitive stress injuries like tendinitis, the notification period for informing an employer of a workplace injury will typically begin from the time that a worker is diagnosed as opposed to the time when the worker first began experiencing symptoms.
Winning the case
One of the most important pieces of evidence in pursuing workers compensation for tendinitis is testimony from a doctor linking the condition to the patient's job responsibilities.
There are several different types of doctor or medical professional that a patient with tendinitis might consult for treatment, including a primary care physician, a chiropractor, a physical therapist, an orthopaedist, or a rheumatologist. One or more of a patient's physicians may need to testify to win a workers compensation claim for tendinitis injuries.
To learn more or ask questions, contact a professional such as David Ewens to learn more.
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