Repetitive Strain Injury Claims

Repetitive Strain Injury Claims

Repetitive Strain Injury, or RSI, is a common problem nowadays that can not only affect those in manual jobs, but also the thousands of office based workers who are sat in the same position day in day out typing away on their computers.

Any form of repetitive tasks can cause an RSI, of which there are two common types:

Type 1: This is where your injury can be given an accurate diagnosis by a medical professional – a diagnosis such as Tendonitis, which is the inflammation of tendons.

Type 2: This is where a medical professional is unable to give an accurate diagnosis of your injury, but you are in pain, and there may be some swelling apparent in the affected areas.

If you are suffering from an RSI injury due to your work, and you feel that your employer could have done something to prevent it, then you may have a claim for compensation.  If you are suffering from an RSI you should report your injury to your employer as soon as possible as it may need to be recorded in an accident book or in your occupational health records. Your employer may also want to change their working practices to avoid the same injury happening to others in the workplace, and hopefully prevent your injury from getting any worse.

It is also advisable to seek the advice of a specialist personal injury lawyer as soon as possible. At The injury Lawyers we advise that it is best to go directly to a law firm rather than through a referral agency or an insurance company. Referral agencies and insurers act as middlemen for a claim by, basically, selling them on to law firms for a profit. Law firms can buy these claims for anything up to £1000. Logic can probably tell you that if a law firm spends this much on your buying claim, they have less money to make a profit. In order to redress this balance, law firms may either work less on your claim, thus leaving you with a poor service, and possibly allowing your claim to drag on longer, or they may even take a deduction from your payout.

There are, however, some preventative measures which you can adopt if you are worried that you are at risk from an RSI:

• Take regular breaks from your work in order to stretch your muscles
• Ensure your work station is ergonomically sound; e.g. by use of a special keyboard or mouse, or wrist rests and a monitor stand
• Keep fit and healthy, as this can also reduce the risk of getting an RSI
• Do not smoke, as this can affect the flow of blood around your body, thus making you more at risk of getting an RSI

If you require any further information regarding your RSI claim then feel free to give us a call.