Repetitive Motion or Stress Injuries on the Job

Under the laws of New Jersey, when you are hurt during the course of employment, you have a right to pursue monetary compensation for lost wages, medical expenses and even job retraining, if you can’t return to your previous job. The injury, though, does not have to arise from a single traumatic event—a fall or the malfunction of a machine or tool. Often, the most debilitating injuries are those that develop over time, from standing, bending, lifting, squeezing or pinching over and over and over.

The New Jersey workers’ compensation laws allow you to pursue benefits for what are called repetitive stress or repetitive motion injuries. These types of injuries can take many forms, including:

• Carpal tunnel syndrome, a condition that customarily affects the wrists of workers. Carpal tunnel injuries afflict workers in a wide variety of occupations, from typists and keyboard operators to workers on an assembly line, from cashiers in retail operations to anyone exposed to repeated vibration in the hands or wrists.
• Tendonitis, which can cause severe pain in elbows, arms, knees, shins and other joints with tendons. Tendonitis may be caused by overuse of the tendons, or it can be caused by inactivity, such as standing in the same place and position for hours every day.
• Cubital tunnel syndrome, a condition similar to carpal tunnel syndrome, which affects the elbow, resulting in radiating pain and numbness in hands and fingers. Machine operators and truck drivers are particularly susceptible to this condition.
• Cervice radiculopathy, a compression or strain on the disks in your neck, causing substantial neck, back and shoulder discomfort. People who spend a lot of time on the phone are at risk for this condition.
• Thoracic outlet syndrome, usually caused by repetitive overhead motions. This injury typically manifests in pain in the breastbone, as well as numbness or tingling in your arms.

Contact Us

At Taylor & Boguski, we bring more than 70 years of combined legal experience to injured people throughout New Jersey. For a free initial consultation, contact our office online or call us at 856-234-2233.