Caused by the compression of the median nerve, carpal tunnel syndrome is felt down the forearm, alongside the nerve. The median nerve also runs through both bones and connective tissue in the wrist, providing feeling on the palm side of the thumb and fingers.
Should this nerve be compressed, it can cause swelling and inflammation of ligaments, which results in the characteristic numbness, tingling, and pain. An injury at work or repetitive movements can cause this painful condition, often resulting in your loss of income and quality of life. An accident at work compensation claim can help you to recover lost salaries and help to improve your life.
Employers’ Responsibilities According to the Health and Safety Legislation
Employers have a responsibility to minimise the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome. Your employer needs to:
- Provide any and all recommended PPE to employees who work with vibrating tools.
- Ensure that all employees working extended hours in front of a computer are provided with the recommended ergonomic equipment that removes strain from the wrists.
- Schedule breaks for employees who perform repetitive hand and wrist movement tasks.
These requirements are governed by the main health and safety legislations of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, and Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.
Causes of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
Jobs in certain industries increase the risk of carpal tunnel syndrome, alongside pregnancy, genetic factors, and other factors. The symptoms can affect your work and quality of life, potentially leading to loss of income and work. Symptoms commonly present as:
- Wrist pain interfering with sleep
- Tingling, pain, and numbness in the thumb and first three fingers
- Muscle weakness of the hand
- Burning and pain sensations travelling up the arm
Some causes of carpal tunnel syndrome can include:
Medical conditions. These conditions can be diabetes, arthritis, and high blood pressure.
Lifestyle choices. High salt intake, high body mass index (BMI), smoking, and a sedentary lifestyle potentially also increasing the risk.
Jobs. Repetitive wrist movements in jobs provide a higher risk of developing carpal tunnel syndrome, such as assembly line work, manufacturing, construction work, and work with a keyboard.
Wrist injury. A wrist injury, such as at work, can increase the risk of this condition developing.
Gender. Women tend to be more affected by carpal tunnel syndrome than men.
Age. Although most commonly found in people between 40-60 years old, carpal tunnel syndrome can affect people of all ages.
Making a Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Compensation Claim
To make a claim, an accident at work procedure includes providing solid evidence that you are suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome and that workplace malpractice caused it. Our professional and expert solicitors will always fight for your best interests, making sure that have the best possible representation.
Our No Win, No Fee policy guarantees that you don’t have to worry about covering legal fees.
- Pain and suffering.
- Cost of ongoing treatment, if needed.
- How severe your symptoms are and the long-term effects they bring.
- Expenses of short and long-term medical treatments, tests, and physiotherapy.
- Costs of any needed changes to accommodate your injuries.
- Loss of both current and future income due to your injuries.
- Loss of quality of life due to your injuries.
We understand how distressing it can be to suffer an accident at work, particularly due to malpractice or negligence. Our team approaches every case with the compassion they deserve, making sure that you receive all the information every step of the way.
Contact us by giving us a call on 01772 562084 for a free, no-obligation chat. You can also request a callback and we’ll give you a call when it’s more convenient for you.