Massachusetts Workers Compensation Lawyers Blog
While there is no shortage of reality shows about the world’s deadliest and dangerous jobs, ranging from being a crabber in the Bearing Sea to driving a truck on an ice road, or mining gold underwater, there are lot of ways to get injured or become ill while working at what most people would consider a more normal job. Many people do not realize that these types of injuries are considered workplace injuries and may allow the injured worker to apply for workers’ compensation benefits.
A recent news article from Medical Daily takes a look at some common work-related medical conditions. The first type of work-related injury or illness that is discussed is carpal tunnel syndrome. Carpal tunnel syndrome will often result in serious pain in the hand and wrist and possibly the patient’s entire arm. The condition can also cause weakness in addition to pain. It is caused when you make repetitive movements that result in pressure being put on the carpal tunnel.
The carpal tunnel is a passageway of nerves and tendons that is in the wrist and protects the nerves that provide feeling to the hand and control the movement of the fingers. While this is repetitive stress injury often associated with office work such as typing or filing, as our Boston workplace injury attorneys have seen in many cases, it is also common for factory and food processing workers to develop carpal tunnel syndrome. It is important to understand that having carpal tunnel syndrome as a result of your work may be a workplace injury that will entitle to you workers’ compensation insurance. This means that you should speak with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney as soon as possible, rather than falling into the trap of thinking you have to suck it up and deal with the pain.
Another workplace illness discussed in this article is deep vein thrombosis (DVT). This is a very serious and often fatal illness that involves the formation of large blood clots deep within the veins of the legs. These clots can then break free from the location at which they formed and travel through the circulatory system. If they reach the lungs, they can puncture a hole in the lungs known as a pulmonary embolism (PE). Many people who experience a PE will not survive. If the clots reach the brain, they can block the flow of blood, and this is known as a stroke.
This particular medical condition is more common in people who are required to sit still for long periods of time. Some types of employment require employees to travel long distances very often. There are people who spend their weeks flying back and forth. This is especially true if you sit for more than 90 minutes at a time, so it is best to get up and walk around.
In addition to these to workplace illnesses or injuries, the article also discusses back and spine injuries. Many people do not realize how much damage one can do their back by sitting at a desk all day in an unnatural posture. This can result in an on-the-job injury.
If you or someone you love has been injured a Boston work accident, call for a free and confidential appointment at (617) 777-7777.
Additional Resources:
6 Ways Your Desk Job Is Killing Your Body, From Blood Clots To Back Pain, October 25, 2016, By Elana Glowatz, Medical Daily
More Blog Entries:
OSHA’s New Injury Reporting Rule and Employee Drug Testing, July 14, 2016, Boston Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Blog