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WORKERS COMP HAND, WRIST AND ELBOW INJURY
Workers Compensation in New Jersey includes benefits for workplace injuries to the hands, wrist, and elbow. These injuries can have a dramatic impact on your ability to do your job. The recovery periods associated with these injuries can be lengthy and include many forms of treatment options.
Elbow, wrist, and hand injuries are common injuries that occur in the workplace. The most common are fractures that happen as a result of workplace duties such as heavy lifting. Fractures can also occur as the result of a fall or crush injury.
There are many types of fractures, but the main types include displace, non-displaced, open, and closed fractures. Displaced and non-displaced fractures refer to the way the bone breaks. In a displaced fracture, the bone snaps into two or more parts and moves so that the bone is no longer aligned properly. In a non-displaced fracture, the bone cracks either part or all the way through, but does move and remains aligned.
A closed fracture is when the bone breaks but there is no puncture or open wound in the skin. An open fracture is one in which the bone breaks through the skin. This is an important difference from a closed fracture because with an open fracture there is a risk of a deep bone infection.
Repetitive Stress Injuries to the Hand, Wrist and Elbow
Repetitive stress injuries result from the overuse of the body by doing the same repeating task over and over again for an extended period of time. Our bodies tend not to react well to the stress of repetitive motion. The law of workers compensation does cover these on the job injuries.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Repetitive work can involve the hands and wrist such as typing and assembly line work. This is often the cause of one of the most debilitating injuries, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. Carpal tunnel occurs when there is a compression and irritation of the median nerve in the wrist.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is often caused by the use of fingers and hands in a repetitive motion for extended periods of time. For example, carpal tunnel can occur when doing repetitive assembly line work and from typing on the computer as part of the job.
Symptoms of Carpal Tunnel include:
- tingling and numbness in the hand
- pain in the wrist
- loss of coordination
- weakening of the grip.
When this type of injury occurs, it is often impossible to return to the same type of work. This is due to the high risk of re-injury or worsening of the condition.
Treatment for carpal tunnel includes rest, immobilization of the wrist in a splint, and the application of ice. In the most severe cases, a surgeon severs the band of tissue around the wrist to reduce pressure on the median nerve. This surgical procedure is known as “carpal tunnel release.”
Cubital Tunnel Syndrome
Like carpal tunnel, this injury occurs in the elbow instead of the hand. This occurs upon the compression of the ulnar nerve at the elbow. The ulnar nerve is the largest unprotected nerve (unprotected by bone or muscle) in the human body. As a result, this type of injury is common.
Symptoms include:
- numbness and pain from the elbow to the hand
- numbness, tingling, or cramping in the small finger and the ring finger
- pain over the inside edge of the elbow.
This injury can result from:
- repetitive bending and straightening of the elbow
- holding the elbow bent for long periods of time
- performing tasks that resist straightening of the elbow (for example shoveling or pushing open heavy doors)
- using tools that vibrate (such as a jackhammer)
- leaning on the inside edge of the elbow or forearm against a desk or edge.
Rest is often helpful for providing temporary relief; but, it is unlikely to provide a long-term solution. Physical therapy is sometimes an effective treatment. More severe cases will need surgery, called a “cubital tunnel release.”
Hand, Wrist and Elbow Work Injuries in Workmans Comp are Serious Matters
An elbow, wrist, and/or hand injury on the job can leave the worker unable to function as an employee. Full recovery is the goal but may be difficult to achieve if the injury is serious. This is especially true if surgery is needed and the injured worker remains out of work for a long period of time. An experienced work injury lawyer in New Jersey can provide vital representation. The laws are complex and the court system is adversarial. Obtaining maximum benefits can be a fight. Last but not least, our contact number is (856) 596-8000.
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