Is A Repetitive Motion Injury Covered Under North Carolina Workers' Compensation?

At Hardison & Cochran, we often receive phone calls and web submissions from injured workers who are unsure if their daily repetitive job tasks, which led to an injury, are covered by North Carolina Workers Compensation Claims.

In some cases, these injuries are indeed covered. They fall under what is called Occupational Disease Claims. To determine if an Occupational Disease Claim is compensable, we consider a few factors:

• We compare the injured employee’s duties to what the general public typically does in their work environment.
• We calculate the level of risk associated with the nature of the employee’s job.
• We consider the medical diagnosis given by a healthcare professional.
• Finally, we determine if there is a clear cause-and-effect relationship between the employee’s duties and their injuries.

There are other types of Occupational Disease Claims, however repetitive motion stress injury claims are the most common within this classification of injuries. These occur when someone repeatedly performs a specific task that requires significant force, resulting in cumulative stress and injury to a body part.

An example of a repetitive motion stress injury claim could involve an assembly line worker who primarily uses their hands in their job. As they continuously handle and process products for their employer over the course of several years, they may develop various hand injuries due to the repetitive nature of their work. These injuries can accumulate gradually over time.

Carpal tunnel syndrome is a common diagnosis in these cases, along with tenosynovitis, tendonitis, and bursitis.

It is possible to have a compensable North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Claim for a repetitive motion stress injury. However, proving that the injury falls under the category of an Occupational Disease Claim and is compensable may require the assistance of a trained legal professional for a thorough analysis of the situation.