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Welcome to the
Kantrovitz & Associates’ Repetitive Stress Injury (RSI) site. If
you are an employee who has been diagnosed with Repetitive Stress
Injury related to your job, you may be entitled to receive
workers’ compensation benefits. This site provides general
information on RSIs, Massachusetts’ Workers’ Compensation laws and
disability benefits.
Many people who have needed help navigating
the complex maze of insurance rules and regulations have benefited
from the help of a Kantrovitz & Associates attorney. If you are
filing a claim, or your claim has been denied or contested our
lawyers will provide expert legal advice to help you win your
workers’ compensation case and reach the most advantageous
settlement.
Call Kantrovitz & Associates today for an
assessment of your repetitive injury case. As our client, you will
receive responsive and quality legal services throughout the
claims process. With our attorneys as your representative, you can
confront this complex process with dignity and confidence. We can
be reached at (800) 241-2643 or
contact
us via email at
info@kantrovitzlaw.com.
Not every injury is caused by an on-the-job related accident.
According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and
Health, repetitive stress injuries are now the single larges cause
of occupational health problems in the U.S., with a quarter of
workers in occupations that can cause RSIs. Victims of repetitive
stress injuries (also known as repetitive motion injuries or
continuous trauma work injuries) develop their affliction by
performing the same movements repeatedly, exposure to constant
vibration, working in cold temperatures, awkward or fixed
postures, and speed or force of movement in the course of
performing their job. RSI injuries may cause temporary or
permanent damage to the victim’s muscles, nerves, ligaments and
tendons.
Carpel tunnel syndrome, chronic back pain and gradual hearing loss
are some of the more well known RSI injuries. Other RSI’s include:
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Tendonitis/tenosynovitis
– inflammation of a tendon or sheath that surrounds a tendon.
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Epicondylitis –
inflammation of tendons in the elbow.
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Ganglion cysts –
lumps that form under the skin on tendons.
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Bursitis –
inflammation of any of the body’s 200 bursae that provides the
cushion between tendon and bone.
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Hand-arm vibration
syndrome (Raynaud’s Phenomenon) – disorder of the blood vessels of
extremities.
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Thoracic outlet
syndrome – malady of the blood vessels and nerves in the shoulder.
While some
repetitive stress injury victims initially experience mild
symptoms, the pain often progresses to such strength that the
sufferer finds it difficult to perform the most basic tasks.
Orthopedic surgeons, neurologists/neurosurgeons,
physical/occupational therapists, and vocational counselors are
all familiar with the havoc that repetitive motion injures can
cause.
The Massachusetts’ Workers’ Compensation system was implemented to
ensure that employers provide insurance that financially assists
workers who become injured or disabled on the job. These benefits
include weekly compensation for lost income during the period the
employee is unable to work. The benefit amount is determined by
factors that include the average weekly pay rate and the degree of
incapacitation. The insurer is required to furnish medical and
hospital services, and medicines if needed. Wives, husbands and
children who were economically dependent on deceased spouses or
parents may be entitled to death benefits.
If you have been injured at work, require medical care and have
been unable to earn your full wages for five or more days, you are
entitled to Workers’ Compensation payments. Unfortunately, it is
not always easy to obtain benefits. Because disability benefits,
medical benefits, injury settlements and death benefits are
determined by different and complex laws, many injured workers
need help resolving disputes. Since repetitive motion injuries do
not occur as the result of an obvious accident, they are even more
difficult to prove. Only a qualified disability attorney can
demonstrate your injury was a direct result of the work you were
required to perform, that medical treatment was appropriate and
necessary, and the degree to which the injury will impact the your
future earnings ability.
There are several circumstances where it is particularly important
that you contact an attorney for assistance.
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An employer has
denied that you were injured while on the job,
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You have been
refused medical treatment,
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You have received a
Notice of Denial from the insurance company,
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Compensation was
promised but has not materialized,
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You are without
income,
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An employer or
insurance company has requested your deposition,
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Your employer does
not carry compensation insurance,
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A third party has
caused your accident.
Your
attorney can also provide information on the ways that claims can
be settled including arbitration, mediation, and collective
bargaining. Again, a competent attorney will develop a strategy to
ensure the best results in your claim. It is important to remember
that if you retain an attorney because you have been denied
benefits or face a change in benefits, that Massachusetts law
states that the majority of attorneys’ fees will be paid by the
Workers’ Compensation Insurer.
Preparing the proper documentation and witness interviews are time
consuming and complicated and Kantrovitz & Associates has the
resources to invest in these necessary activities. We have the
credentials, skill and knowledge of Massachusetts workers
compensation laws and your rights.
Call Kantrovitz & Associates
today for an assessment of your repetitive injury case. As our
client, you will receive responsive and quality legal services
throughout the claims process. With our attorneys as your
representative, you can confront this complex process with dignity
and confidence. We can be reached at (800) 241-2643 or
contact us via email at
info@kantrovitzlaw.com.
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