De Quervain’s tenosynovitis
This condition can result from repeatedly gripping and twisting a control or lever, causing pain, swelling, difficulty in pinching or squeezing, and “locking” of the thumb in one position.
Athletes, chefs, musicians, surgeons, computer operators, users of vibrating tools, and others who repeatedly engage in complex and delicate movements of the hand are apt to develop wrist injuries on the job.
Filing a Workers’ Comp Claim in South Carolina
As soon as you sustain an accidental shoulder, knee, or wrist injury on the job, you should report it to your boss or to a worksite claims administrator. If you develop a repetitive motion condition over time, report it as soon as it’s diagnosed. Although you have 90 days to report your injury or condition, you should do so immediately. If your employer does not file a claim on your behalf with the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Commission (SCWCC), do so yourself with a Form 50 from the SCWCC website. The law gives you two years to file, but, again, you should not wait. If you wait to report or file, you could damage your claim. The employer’s insurer will cite your delay as proof that you’re not as seriously injured as you say you are.
After reporting your injury, you should immediately see a doctor certified and recommended by your employer’s insurer. Seeing only your own doctor could weaken your claim. Follow the recommended doctor’s orders conscientiously, keep all appointments, take all medication as prescribed, and keep receipts and documentation of your treatments, as well as a daily journal of your recovery. If your employer denies your claim, delays approval of treatment procedures forces you back to work too early, or retaliates against you for filing your claim, consult a workers’ comp attorney right away.
Accidental Injury vs. Occupational Illness
Because many knee, shoulder, and wrist injuries are occupational illnesses that develop over time on the job, it is harder to prove that they are work-related than it is accidental injuries. The employer’s insurance company is likely to dispute your claim by insisting that your condition is not work-related or is the result of a pre-existing injury. In such a case, your attorney can work with your doctors to organize your medical evidence and present it convincingly, perhaps with the help of expert witnesses’ testimony, in order to help you seek fair benefits.
Related Links: |