Boston Repetitive Motion Injury Attorneys

Many construction jobs involve repetitive motions on a daily basis, sometimes continuing for hours. If the employer fails to ensure proper safety procedures are followed and does not provide proper accommodations, these jobs can easily cause a range of repetitive motion injuries, all of which can be uncomfortable and painful. Sometimes, they become so serious that a worker can no longer perform his or her job, resulting in a loss of income that may be critical for the support of the worker and his or her family.

Fortunately, those injured through repetitive motion do not have to face the prospect of lost wages and a reduced physical capacity to work alone. The Boston repetitive motion injury attorneys of Crowe & Harris, LLP , work for construction workers whose injuries are caused by repetitive motion, and may be able to help you.

3 COMMON REPETITIVE MOTION INJURIES

Repetitive motions can cause a number of different injuries, but three are more commonly cited than others. These are the following:

Bursitis

Construction workers are expected to perform physically demanding tasks on a daily basis. However, many of these tasks can become repetitive, which can lead to a number of chronic medical conditions. One of these conditions is referred to as bursitis—a painful condition that affects fluid-filled sacs called bursae in between our muscles, ligaments, and bones. When they become inflamed, bursae can rub together and cause painful friction. Due to the persistent nature of this condition, bursitis can prevent workers from returning to work for the duration of their treatment, assuming a return to work will be possible at all.

Common Areas Affected by Bursitis

Despite where bursitis occurs, the pain that accompanies can leave an individual unable to work or to perform simple daily tasks. Some of the common places in which bursitis is found include:

• Wrist
• Thumbs
• Elbows
• Hips
• Knees
• Shoulders
• Ankles

Bursitis in any of these areas can make doing work, especially the physically demanding tasks of construction, nearly impossible.

Tools and heavy equipment that are characterized by frequent or powerful vibrations have been known to lead to bursitis. Such tools include jackhammers, certain types of power saws, and certain types of screwdrivers. Vibrating tools can lead to bursitis development in the wrist, thumbs, and shoulders, among other areas. Employers are expected to take the proper precautions to decrease injury from use of these tools and to train employees to properly use them.

Tendonitis

Tendonitis is a medical condition that causes painful inflammation of a tendon. When a tendon is moved in an unnatural way over a period of time, the inflammation can become severe and lead to tendonitis. Individuals who develop this condition while on the job can be left to deal with extensive medical bills and time away from work. In many cases, tendonitis can render an individual unable to do the job they may have performed for years.

Common Areas Affected by Tendonitis

While tendonitis can develop in any tendon throughout the body, there are a few areas where tendonitis is more likely to be found. The areas most affected by tendonitis include:

• Elbows
• Knees
• Ankles
• Shoulders
• Wrists
• Forearms
• Feet
• Hands/Thumbs

Since tendonitis can often be overlooked as a tired muscle, it is important for individuals who work on construction sites to be aware of the symptoms in order to prevent further injury. Some common signs of tendonitis include:

• Pain or burning when the affected area or tendon is touched or used
• Constant burning sensation in affected area
• Swollen, red, or warm areas
• Restricted motion

While tendonitis can occur naturally in some individuals, construction workers who develop this condition due to repetitive motion can often receive compensation for their suffering.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is caused by constant strain on the base of the wrist, making the hands weak and painful to use. The frequency with which CTS affects construction workers is caused by the tools and positions they commonly work in. In a construction job, working with vibrating tools, doing repetitive tasks, and operating in awkward positions are all factors that put an individual at risk of developing CTS. Those who are suffering from this affliction as a result of their job are usually put in a painful spot for their body and their finances.

Common Areas Affected by Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Sometimes those suffering from CTS are dealing with multiple areas of pain in the hand region, and often times are restricted from doing everyday tasks such as typing or picking up objects. Symptoms will often not appear immediately, thus many times an individual will be developing CTS over a long period of time before it gets severe. Typical symptoms include tingling, burning, and numbness in the hand region. Common areas of the body that may be affected include:

• Thumbs
• Fingers
• Hands (One or both)
• Wrist

If you have been suffering from symptoms in one or more of these areas, then it is important to seek medical attention to ensure that receive any treatment necessary. Common ways that CTS is treated is through drugs, physical therapy, or surgery. Often times these remedies can get expensive, and so it is important that if you developed CTS working your job, that you get any financial compensation you can. Developing CTS is preventable as a work day can be designed to minimize the amount of strain on the employee’s hands. If your employer has not enforced a safe working environment, then it is in your best interest to not face the injury alone.

Each of these injuries can make regular work extremely painful, or uncomfortable at best, and many workers cannot afford the medical attention that they need to repair or cope with their repetitive motion injuries. However, an attorney may be able to help win financial compensation to assist with costs.

Contact a Repetitive Motion Injury Lawyer In Boston

If you or someone you know has suffered from a construction site injury and wants to know more about legal options for pursuing compensation, the Boston repetitive motion injury attorneys of Crowe & Harris, LLP , can help.

 Contact our offices today by calling (617) 404-3417 to learn more about your options and legal situation.