If you have ever worked as a gardener, landscaper, or factory worker, you understand the physical demands of such positions. Often requiring repetitive bending and reaching, these types of positions put stress on the body, causing many workers to develop musculoskeletal disorders. Not just limiting mobility, musculoskeletal conditions can cause chronic pain.
The Cherry Hill repetitive bending and reaching attorneys at the Law Offices of Matarazzo & Lubcher are ready to help workers injured through repetitive strain. Our attorneys are here to help you navigate the workers’ compensation process.
What is Workers’ Compensation?
Workers’ compensation is a type of no-fault insurance provided by an employer that provides benefits to employees injured in the scope of their employment. Businesses that operate in the state of New Jersey are required to carry workers’ compensation insurance.
New Jersey workers’ compensation offers employees wage replacement, medical benefits, and death benefits. Most employees who experience repetitive strain will qualify for temporary total disability benefits. Under temporary total disability, an injured worker is able to receive 70% of their average weekly wage (AWW) prior to being injured. As of 2024, the maximum temporary disability rate is $1,131 per week.
Repetitive Strain Injuries
Repeatedly bending and reaching can result in the following injuries:
Pinched Nerve
When a nerve is pinched, the compression can cause tingling, numbness, or weakness. In the low or mid-back back, a pinched nerve can be due to a herniated disk. A herniated disc, also referred to as a “slipped” disc, occurs when a piece of spinal disc slips out of place, pressing on a spinal nerve.
If an assembly line worker repeatedly has to bend in half when working the line, this could cause a pinched nerve in the thoracic spine (mid-back). A pinched nerve in the thoracic spine could result in a variety of symptoms, including pain, numbness, or tingling in the chest. The person will likely also experience pain in the mid-back.
Trigger Finger
Employees in jobs that require repetitive grasping are at risk of developing trigger finger. Trigger finger is caused by the swelling of tendons in the hands. It can affect the fingers or thumb, causing the digits to freeze in a flexed position toward the palm.
Symptoms include pain, stiffness, inability to move the affected fingers, and a snapping or popping sound when moving the affected digits. Industrial workers, farmers, and gardeners are most susceptible to this condition.
Pulled Muscle
Constantly reaching for hours each day can result in injury to a muscle or tendon. Proper posture and body mechanics are important, but warehouse workers, assembly line workers, and auto mechanics are more inclined to pull a muscle. Symptoms encompass pain that worsens with movement, muscle spasms, and decreased function in a joint.
Repetitive Bending and Reaching Attorneys Devoted to Your Well-Being
Repetitive strain can take a toll on your body, causing you to miss more than a few days from work. As the best workers’ compensation firm in New Jersey, our attorneys are devoted to your financial recovery. Let us help you navigate your workers’ compensation claim. To learn more, contact the office today online or call (856) 843-8403.