How to claim for Repetitive Strain Injury

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Repetitive Strain Injury is a condition which commonly affects the arm, wrist or hands by repeatedly doing the same task over and over again.

This is often caused by the type of work you carry out on a day-to-day basis, or by playing certain types of sports.

Repetitive Strain Injury is a common but painful condition which can affect your daily life if it is not treated properly. It is caused by a mechanical irritation which causes an inflammation of the tendon sheaths in the fingers and hands, wrists and elbows.

Claim for Repetitive Strain

Often, stiffness in the spinal joints of the neck and upper back aggravates or may even cause RSI in the arms and hands. Spinal problems can also irritate the nerves as they exit the spine, leading to problems in the muscles they supply.

In most cases, Repetitive Strain Injury will get better on its own, but in severe cases, you may need medical treatment, or physiotherapy to strengthen the muscles.

If you have suffered from Repetitive Strain Injury as a result of your job, you may be entitled to claim against your employer.

We have rounded up everything you need to know about Repetitive Strain Injury

What is Repetitive Strain Injury?

A Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI) is an injury to the musculoskeletal and nervous systems. This may be caused by repetitive tasks, vibrations, mechanical compression, or sustained or awkward positions.

Repetitive Strain Injury causes

Repetitive Strain Injury is caused by repeatedly doing the same tasks over and over again. For example, you can get RSI if:

You do repetitive activities like hairdressing, decorating, typing or working on an assembly line
You play sports like golf or tennis that involve lots of repetitive movements
You have poor posture when sitting or standing at work
You use hand-held power tools regularly

Repetitive Strain Injury symptoms

You can get repetitive strain injury (RSI) in many parts of the body, but it most often affects the:

Shoulders
Elbows
Forearms and wrists
Hands and fingers

The symptoms usually start gradually and can include:

Pain, which may feel like burning, aching or throbbing
Stiffness and weakness
Tingling, pins-and-needles or numbness
Muscle cramps
Swelling

Repetitive Strain Injury treatment

Repetitive Strain Injury often gets better on its own, but there are ways you can speed up your recovery.

Medication: Anti-inflammatory painkillers (such as aspirin or ibuprofen)
Heat or cold: Applying heat packs or ice packs to the affected area
Use a splint of elastic support on the area
Physiotherapy – certain exercises may help you to reduce the risk of worsening the injury and help the muscle repair
Steroids – in severe cases, and if other methods haven’t worked, steroids can help to reduce inflammation and ease the pain

How to make a claim for Repetitive Strain Injury

If you have suffered from Repetitive Strain Injury as a result of your job, you may be entitled to claim against your employer for damages.

Employers have a duty of care to their employees under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974); they are required to provide “safe systems of work” to prevent work-related RSI.

Meanwhile, more recent legislation requires employers to ensure that working environments are comfortable and appropriately adjusted by carrying out risk assessments.

Risk assessments cover topics such as; The Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992; The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005; and The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998.

What do I need to do to claim?

To claim against your employer, you will need to prove that the employer failed in their legal duty of care to keep you safe from harm and was thus negligent.

You will also need to prove that your repetitive strain injury was caused by these negligent work practices.

The team of Industrial Disease experts at Oakwood Solicitors Ltd will assist you in obtaining everything you need to make a claim on a ‘no-win, no-fee’ basis.

This means if your claim is unsuccessful, you will not be expected to pay us a penny. If you are successful in your claim, we take a percentage of the compensation meaning that the only time we will receive money is if we have brought your claim to a fruitful conclusion.

You will have a dedicated advisor who will see your claim through from start to finish, assisting you in the event of any queries or issues you may have. If it is preferable to you, we can assign a female advisor to carry out your claim.

Your case handler will also continue to provide regular updates until the conclusion of your claim, ensuring the process is as stress-free and effortless as possible.