Carpal Tunnel/Repetitive Stress Syndrome in TN-Workers Comp Issue

[sparkey]

Tizz,

One example of fileing is when I went to work one morning on Jan.29th,07 to draw blood, I dropped a needle right after I took it out of a sterile package. The patient was sitting in the chair. My wrist i had put a heat pack on to ride to work that morning cause the wrist was so swollen. When the needle dropped, my co-worker who was standing by my saw me drop it and start to cry. The pain was terrible and I loved my job and gave it my all. Right then I was forced to sign a WC report.

They immediatly sent me to their doctor across the hall for xrays and then the doctor put a thumb brace on me and said I had thumb arthritis and go back to work light duty ( 0ne handed ) I am right handed and dominant on that one. So I pretty much sat there all day in pain till time to go home.

The following day I went to a neurologist to which YOU will need to see for a EMG. To study your wrist to see how bad the carpal tunnel is. Or if it is tendonitis. They will try different meds., treatments, braces, cortizones shots, PT/ OT and if they exhaust all those it could lead to surgery. Some people just need to rest the hand and it gets well. Others need the surgery. I had the surgery 10 yrs. ago and I was stamping at my work everyday, all day. That is when mine acted up again. So I had Re-curring carpal tunnel. The first surgery was at another job and I did not claim it as wc. I felt it was due to my computer use at home.

By wearing the wrong brace ( should be a special made brace from PT) to which you should request. It is fit to your hand/wrist. Shrinkwrapped type. It is much more comfortable and may help you better. Only use it alittle at a time. Do not keep it on all day as then you will forget how to use your hand and will freeze up on you. This happened to me. The longer you wait, then it could effect your shoulder, feel sharp pains in your elbow and drop things more and more. It could cause worse nerve damage waiting.

You need to report this to work ASAP. Go to work, try working, and if it hurts stop what your doing and go down to HR and Fill out the form. You should have someone from their IC call you ( adjuster) to ask what happened. They may send you to their doctor immediatley. If there is carpal the EMG will show how severe. They are not all reliable, but it is something to get an idea.

Your injury IS work related and they know it. It is repetition. They are entitled to pay for your surgery if needed. Why should you pay for it with your insurance and try to find a way to get an income to live? This surgery could be 6-8 weeks out. And especially if you use your hands all day. There is deductibles that you would pay with your own insurance. Hopefully this could be a easy fix, but if you wait, you could end up like me and the rest with RSD, or severe neuropathy. Relying on meds. to live a productive life which is no fun.

If you act now, you could have the surgery done, and be back to your work. If not, it could get so severe that you will need a new line of work. Keep us informed and stop thinking and get moving on this. It is your health and future at stake. Good luck : )