Repetitive Motion Injury | Bourne Law Firm

Repetitive Motion Injuries in Georgia Workers’ Compensation

Repetitive motion injuries can often affect the hands, back, wrists, elbows, or shoulders due to overuse. Conditions like carpal tunnel syndrome commonly develop from repeated hand movements.

Repetitive motion injuries – also known as repetitive stress injuries or cumulative trauma disorders – are among the most common workplace injuries. Unlike a sudden accident (like a slip or fall), these injuries develop gradually from performing the same motions over and over. Over time, overusing certain muscles, tendons, and nerves causes microscopic damage that leads to inflammation, pain, and weakness. Workers may start noticing mild aches or tingling that slowly worsen; often the symptoms don’t appear immediately but only after months or even years of repetitive work.

Common examples of repetitive motion injuries include conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, bursitis, tennis elbow (epicondylitis), and trigger finger. These are painful disorders caused by wear-and-tear on specific body parts. For instance, carpal tunnel syndrome can develop in workers who type or use tools all day, and tendonitis (inflammation of tendons) can affect shoulders or elbows after constant lifting or reaching. Overuse injuries like these can make it difficult to grip objects, lift items, or perform your job tasks without pain.

How do repetitive stress injuries develop?

Typically, it’s the result of tendon and nerve overuse. Every time you repeat a motion – whether it’s clicking a mouse, assembling a product on a line, stocking shelves, or lifting a patient – you put stress on the same tissues. Without enough rest, those tissues don’t have time to recover. Eventually, they become swollen or damaged from the cumulative strain. What starts as a minor soreness can turn into chronic pain or loss of function. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to early signs like tingling, numbness, or persistent soreness in a joint or limb. If caught early, modifying your activities or getting medical treatment can sometimes prevent a severe injury. But if left unchecked, a repetitive motion injury can become debilitating, potentially requiring surgery or causing long-term limitations.

Industries and Jobs Prone to Repetitive Motion Injuries

Repetitive strain injuries can happen in almost any job that involves repeated movements. However, certain industries and roles in Georgia see these injuries especially often. Some examples include:

Manufacturing and Factory Work: Assembly line workers in manufacturing perform repeated motions – such as assembling parts, packing products, or operating machinery – for hours on end. This constant activity can lead to wrist, hand, shoulder, or back injuries over time. For example, someone on a poultry processing line making the same cut hundreds of times a day can develop tendon and nerve damage in their hands or arms.
Office and Administrative Work: Office staff who spend long hours typing on a keyboard, clicking a mouse, or doing data entry are at high risk of repetitive injuries in the hands and arms. Carpal tunnel syndrome is common among computer users. Even using a phone or stapler repeatedly can strain tendons. Poor ergonomics (like an improper desk setup or non-ergonomic chairs) can worsen these injuries.
Retail and Grocery Workers: Cashiers and stock clerks perform constant repetitive motions that take a toll on the body. For example, grocery store cashiers continually scan items and bag groceries, while stockers repeatedly lift and shelve products. These actions can cause back injuries, shoulder tendinitis, or chronic wrist pain. Even using a pricing gun or manual stocking of inventory involves repetitive hand and arm movements that accumulate over a shift.
Healthcare Workers: Nurses, certified nursing assistants, and other healthcare employees often perform physically repetitive tasks. Transferring or repositioning patients, pushing wheelchairs or gurneys, and even repetitive charting or syringe use can all contribute to overuse injuries. For instance, a nurse who frequently lifts patients may develop chronic back or shoulder problems. Likewise, lab technicians who pipette or type reports all day can suffer wrist and hand strains.

These are just a few examples – many other jobs can cause repetitive strain injuries as well. Construction workers using power tools, delivery drivers lifting packages, assembly technicians, hairdressers, mechanics, and even desk workers using a mouse all day can end up with similar injuries. The key risk factor is performing the same motion repeatedly without sufficient rest or ergonomic protection. If you do a physical task dozens or hundreds of times in a shift, you’re potentially at risk. Georgia’s workforce in industries like manufacturing, logistics, healthcare, and clerical work is especially familiar with these kinds of injuries.

Workers’ Comp Coverage for Repetitive Injuries in Georgia

One of the biggest questions injured workers have is whether a repetitive strain injury “counts” as a workers’ comp injury – especially if there was no single accident or fall. The answer is yes: Georgia’s workers’ compensation law does recognize repetitive motion injuries as compensable if they arose out of and in the course of your employment. In fact, it’s a common myth that only injuries from one-time accidents qualify for workers’ comp. In reality, workers are also entitled to benefits for injuries and illnesses that develop over time due to their job duties. In other words, if your job caused or contributed to your condition, you can file a workers’ comp claim for a gradual injury just as you would for an immediate trauma.

To be eligible for workers’ compensation in Georgia, your employer usually must carry workers’ comp insurance (Georgia law requires nearly all employers with 3 or more employees to have coverage). Assuming your employer is covered, you do not have to prove any fault or negligence on their part to get benefits – workers’ comp is a no-fault system. You simply must show that your repetitive motion injury is work-related. That said, proving a repetitive injury can be more challenging than proving a sudden accident. You won’t have an exact incident date or eyewitness event, so insurance companies sometimes question whether the injury really came from work or from activities outside of work (or even a pre-existing condition). For example, if you have carpal tunnel, the insurer might try to argue it’s due to a hobby or a health condition rather than your job. This is a common defense in repetitive injury claims.

That makes timely reporting and good documentation crucial (more on that below). It also means you might face an initial denial or skepticism from the employer’s insurance – not because the law doesn’t cover you, but because it can be harder to pinpoint the cause. Don’t be discouraged: even if an insurance adjuster is skeptical, repetitive motion injuries are valid work injuries under Georgia law, as long as your work activities significantly contributed to the condition. Many injured workers in Georgia have successfully claimed benefits for conditions like carpal tunnel, rotator cuff injuries, and other cumulative trauma disorders with the right evidence.

If your repetitive stress injury claim is accepted, what benefits can you receive? Under Georgia’s workers’ comp system, you’re entitled to the same types of benefits as any other injured worker. This includes coverage of all related medical expenses – doctor visits, medication, physical therapy, diagnostic tests, surgery if needed, and even rehabilitation services. You can also receive weekly income benefits if your injury forces you to miss work or perform limited duties. For example, if your doctor says you cannot work for a period of time, you can receive Temporary Total Disability benefits (generally two-thirds of your average weekly wage). If you can work on light duty for less pay, you might receive Temporary Partial Disability benefits to make up part of the difference. And if your injury causes any permanent impairment, you may qualify for a Permanent Partial Disability award. In short, workers’ comp should cover your medical bills and a portion of your lost wages while you recover, just as it would for an acute injury. Our firm’s goal is to ensure you get all of the benefits you’re entitled to under the law.

Reporting and Documenting a Repetitive Motion Injury

Timely reporting and documentation are absolutely vital in a repetitive injury claim. Because these injuries develop over time, you need to clearly connect the dots between your job duties and your medical condition. Taking the right steps early on will strengthen your claim and help overcome any skepticism from the insurance company. Here’s what you should do if you suspect you’ve developed a repetitive motion injury at work:

Report it to your employer immediately: As mentioned, tell your supervisor or employer about your injury as soon as possible, and no later than 30 days from when you realized it was work-related. It’s best to do this in writing (like an email or incident report) so there is a record. Be specific: for example, you might say “I have been experiencing wrist pain that I believe is caused by my repetitive tasks at work.” Early reporting not only complies with the law but also prevents the defense from arguing that “it must not be work-related since you didn’t report it promptly.”

Seek medical attention and inform the doctor it’s work-related: Don’t tough it out. See a doctor as soon as you notice persistent pain or symptoms. Under Georgia workers’ comp, your employer should have a list of authorized doctors (a “panel of physicians”) for you to choose from. When you visit the doctor, explain your job duties in detail and when your symptoms started. For example, let the doctor know you lift 50 boxes a day, or you type 8 hours a day, and that you first felt tingling in your hands two months ago. Providing this history helps the doctor link your condition to your work activities. The doctor’s records will be key evidence. If the doctor believes your injury is work-related, make sure that opinion is noted in your medical records. Medical documentation that clearly ties your diagnosis (e.g. carpal tunnel syndrome) to your repetitive job tasks is often the deciding factor in these cases.

Document your symptoms and activities: It can help to keep a simple log of your symptoms – when you feel pain, what activities make it worse, etc. Also note when you first noticed issues. Even minor aches deserve attention: if you recall that your shoulder started hurting mildly last spring and gradually worsened with increased workload, write that down. Noting when your complaints first appeared (even if it was just soreness or tingling) can make a big difference in proving causation. If you reported those symptoms to a supervisor or got first aid at work, keep copies of any reports or emails. All this shows a timeline that supports your claim.

Follow through with treatment and work restrictions

If the doctor prescribes rest, physical therapy, or modified duties, follow those instructions. Attend all medical appointments. This not only helps you heal but also shows that you are taking the injury seriously. If the doctor gives you work restrictions (like no lifting over 10 pounds, or limited typing), provide that note to your employer. Keep a copy for yourself. Following medical advice protects your health and prevents the insurer from claiming you made your condition worse by not complying with treatment.

Maintain a file with copies of your accident report, any correspondence with your employer or the insurance company, and all medical records or notes you receive. Also jot down the names of any coworkers who are aware of your injury or can confirm the strenuous nature of your job – witness statements could help if there’s a dispute about what your job involved. Essentially, the more documentation you have showing that you consistently reported and treated the injury as work-related, the stronger your case will be. If there is ergonomic evaluation or OSHA reports about your job tasks, those could be useful too.

Taking these steps will create a strong foundation for your workers’ comp claim. They demonstrate that you acted responsibly and that your injury is genuinely connected to your job. If the insurance company still denies your claim or downplays your injury, this documentation will be invaluable in contesting that decision. Remember, you are your own best advocate in the early stages – report promptly, see a doctor, and create that paper trail. By doing so, you make it much easier for your attorney (if you hire one) to prove your case and you reduce the chances of losing benefits due to a technicality or lack of evidence.

(If you’re ever unsure about what doctor to see or how to report an injury, consulting with a workers’ comp attorney early on can provide guidance. An attorney can explain your rights and even assist with getting the proper documentation in place from day one.)

How Bourne Law Firm Can Help with Your Claim

Even when you do everything right, repetitive stress injury claims can be complex. You may encounter legal hurdles, confusing paperwork, or an uncooperative insurance adjuster. This is where the Bourne Law Firm steps in. Having an experienced Georgia workers’ compensation attorney on your side can be crucial to navigate the process and prove your claim. Our firm has decades of experience fighting for injured workers – we’ve successfully represented hundreds of injury victims since 1990 – including many people suffering from cumulative trauma injuries like yours. We understand the nuances of Georgia’s workers’ comp laws and how to build a compelling case for repetitive injuries, even when the cause isn’t immediately obvious.

We guide you through every step of the workers’ compensation process, from the initial report to your employer, to filing the formal claim paperwork, all the way through resolution. Our attorneys make sure all documents (like the Form WC-14 to officially file a claim) are completed correctly and on time, so you don’t accidentally miss a deadline or answer a question improperly. We’ll also advise you on choosing an authorized treating physician and ensure you know how to handle your medical appointments and work restrictions to protect your claim.

Our job isn’t done until you receive all benefits you are owed. We monitor your case to ensure weekly checks are calculated correctly (based on your average weekly wage) and paid on time. We make sure you’re reimbursed for mileage to doctors and that you get to see specialists if needed. If your injury leaves you with a permanent impairment, we work to get you a proper permanent partial disability rating and compensation for that. When you are nearing recovery, if a settlement is an option, we leverage our experience to negotiate a fair lump sum settlement that takes into account your future medical needs and lost earning capacity. We won’t let the insurer short-change you – our goal is to maximize the financial security and medical support you receive. And of course, we handle the legal paperwork of any settlement to ensure it’s in your best interest.

Free Consultation for Injured Workers

Dealing with a repetitive motion injury can be frustrating – but you don’t have to navigate this journey alone. If you believe your injury is work-related, or if you’ve already filed a claim and hit roadblocks, reach out to the Bourne Law Firm for a free consultation. We will listen to your story, answer your questions, and give you an honest assessment of your case and options. There is no cost to speak with us, and no obligation. In fact, as noted above, we never charge a fee unless and until we secure compensation for you.

During your free consultation, an experienced workers’ comp attorney will review the facts – such as your job duties, medical diagnosis, and how the injury developed – and advise you on the next steps. Even if you’re not sure whether your situation “qualifies,” it’s wise to get legal guidance. Time is of the essence with workplace injuries, especially ones that aren’t tied to a single accident, so getting advice early can protect your rights.

Call 770-886-3030 now to get started.

Repetitive Motion Injury Lawyers in Cumming, GA