When most people think of work injuries, they think of immediately visible traumatic incidents that cause injuries such as broken bones, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord trauma, and more. However, repetitive motion injuries are incredibly common in the workplace. Perhaps the repetitive motion injury most people are familiar with is carpal tunnel syndrome. As more and more people have shifted to working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we want to discuss how this can affect repetitive motion injury prevention.
Carpal tunnel syndrome is a repetitive motion injury that occurs when the “carpal tunnel,” located on the lower side of a person’s wrist, is compressed for extended periods of time. People most commonly associate the syndrome with those who work at a computer and type on a regular basis. In an effort to mitigate the risks that workers face in these situations, employers regularly provide training and enhanced ergonomic office equipment to employees.
However, the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed the workplace landscape over the last few months. Many employees never thought they would end up working from home, but this pandemic has changed the way many Californians do their jobs. While working from home has been a welcome change for many people, particularly those who no longer have to battle LA traffic, the unintended consequence of this arrangement may result and more repetitive motion injuries.
Most employees who now have to work from home do not have the appropriate office setup to prevent carpal tunnel syndrome. We anticipate that there will be significant conflict between employers and employees if workers compensation claims arise due to carpal tunnel and other repetitive motion injuries that occurred while a person was working from home during this pandemic.
Employers need to seriously consider purchasing or lending their workers the equipment they need to perform their job safely. This could include ergonomic desks and chairs, as well as modified keyboards and other equipment designed to reduce the risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome. We urge employers who are considering making permanent work from home changes for their employees to consider the long-term benefits of providing ergonomically sound equipment to their workers.
If you or somebody you care about has sustained a repetitive motion injury and is having trouble receiving compensation, contact the team at the Law Offices of Kropach & Kropach today. We have a thorough understanding of the laws surrounding workers compensation in California and we will work to secure the following on your behalf:
Our team understands that the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered the way many people work and that this is an ever-changing situation. However, that does not lessen the responsibility that employers have to keep their workers safe. When you need a Los Angeles workers compensation attorney, you can contact us for a free consultation by clicking here or calling us at 818-609-7005.
