530+ Google Reviews
If you develop carpal tunnel syndrome at work, you may qualify for disability, but you are more likely to qualify for workers’ compensation. Both claim processes let you request benefits based on your injury-related losses, as long as you can prove that your carpal tunnel developed as a result of qualifying environmental hazards.
You can discuss whether or not your carpal tunnel qualifies you for disability or workers’ compensation with a personal injury lawyer in North Carolina. We can go on to represent you as you fight for the financial support needed to treat your repetitive strain injury and get back to work.
What is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Medical professionals recognize carpal tunnel syndrome as a condition wherein repetitive motions of the hand compress the nerves in a person’s wrist. Usually, carpal tunnel syndrome can make repetitive motions painful, sometimes making it difficult or impossible for the victim to do their job without pain.
Jobs that involve a considerable amount of typing or the use of specialized machinery can increase a person’s risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. However, certain traumatic incidents, including car accidents, can compress a person’s wrist nerves. The most common symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome include:
- Tingling or numbness in the first three fingers or thumb.
- Muscle weakness or difficulty gripping objects.
- Pain in the fingers, hands, or wrists.
- Swelling in the wrist, or sensations of swelling without visible signs of injury.
If you suspect you’ve developed carpal tunnel syndrome, get in touch with a medical professional right away. You’ll need a professional to diagnose you with the condition if you want to discuss your right to disability or workers’ compensation benefits.
You Need a Diagnosis Before Applying for Carpal Tunnel Benefits
You might think that carpal tunnel qualifies you for disability benefits, and in some cases, it does. However, it’s more likely that you’ll have the right to pursue workers’ compensation after developing carpal tunnel syndrome.
Either way, you’ll need to have a medical professional diagnose your carpal tunnel before you take any action. You can’t move a request for benefits forward in any arena unless a medical professional reports on the reality of your condition, its severity, and its impact on your quality of life.
Medical professionals can also comment on what circumstances may have led you to develop carpal tunnel syndrome.
Personal Injury Lawyer Near Me (828) 286-3866
How Can You Recover Compensation for Your Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
If you want to determine whether your work conditions make you eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, consider discussing the circumstances that led to your injury with an experienced legal professional.
Our North Carolina workers’ compensation lawyers can help you determine whether or not workplace conditions put you at a higher risk for carpal tunnel syndrome, and whether or not your employer took any steps to protect you from avoidable harm. We can go on to discuss the difference between qualifying for disability and pursuing workers’ compensation.
If you decide that you want to move forward with a workers’ compensation claim, we can help you complete the necessary paperwork. We can go on to represent you in conversations about your right to compensation for your lost wages, necessary medical services, and time spent recuperating.
Applying for Disability Benefits Versus Applying for Workers’ Compensation
Disability benefits and workers’ compensation are not the same thing. Disability insurance can see you receive benefits for injuries sustained on and off the job, whereas you will only qualify for workers’ compensation if you developed carpal tunnel at work.
Some employers provide their employees with short- or long-term disability insurance. You can alternatively purchase private disability coverage prior to an injury. If you’re paying into Social Security, you may also qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance.
If you do develop carpal tunnel at work, you may have the right to request workers’ compensation in addition to disability benefits, but the financial benefits from both programs must balance out. The combined benefits you receive from these programs cannot exceed 80%of your pre-injury earnings.
When to Contact a North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Our experienced legal team can help you:
- Speak to the right people about your injury within your allotted time, ensuring that medical professionals assert that your carpal tunnel diagnosis qualifies you for disability.
- Deliberate your right to disability benefits versus your right to pursue a workers’ compensation claim.
- Pursue treatments recommended during your initial diagnosis.
- Organize your medical evidence.
- Communicate with insurance and Social Security claims representatives, protecting your right to a fair distribution of benefits.
- Negotiate for financial support that puts your need to recover first.
- Keep you on top of your filing deadlines while managing your disability recovery timeline.
Work With a Lawyer Without Putting Any Money Down
You don’t have to let legal expenses prevent you from outlining your right to discuss whether or not carpal tunnel qualifies you for disability. Our personal injury lawyers in North Carolina work on a contingency basis, meaning that we will not ask for upfront payments or send you bills while your case is in progress.
Instead, our contingency fee agreements state that we only get paid when you get the benefits you deserve. If you don’t receive benefits, you don’t owe us any attorney’s fees.
Let’s Discuss Your Right to Recover From Carpal Tunnel Today
Does carpal tunnel qualify for disability? The condition can make it painful to keep doing your job, and taking time away from work to heal can leave you dealing with a lot of financial stress. However, if you developed carpal tunnel as a result of workplace requirements, you may have a workers’ compensation case on your hands.
We can help you determine whether or not your carpal tunnel qualifies you for disability or if you should pursue a workers’ compensation claim. Our attorneys can bring together the evidence you need to make a case for support. You can count on our representation as you discuss the compensation you need with employers, insurers, and disability representatives.
Don’t let your right to carpal tunnel compensation slip away. If you have questions about your right to benefits, book a free case consultation with our team today.
