Repetitive tasks may wear down your body long before you notice a serious problem. Long days of lifting materials or repeating the same motions can gradually strain your muscles and joints until the pain begins to interfere with your job.
If your work on a construction site has caused ongoing pain or numbness, knowing what to do next can help you protect your health, preserve your rights and avoid delays if your condition is connected to your work duties.
Steps to take after a repetitive motion injury
Unlike a sudden fall, repetitive stress injuries often develop over weeks or months. Conditions such as carpal tunnel syndrome or tendinitis may qualify as occupational diseases when medical evidence connects them to repetitive duties that are a distinctive part of the job.
If you believe your job caused your condition, consider these actions:
- Get medical care promptly. A medical evaluation can identify the condition and document how repetitive job duties may have contributed to it.
- Notify your employer in writing. Give written notice as soon as you recognize that your medical condition may relate to your job.
- File a workers’ compensation claim. Submit the required Employee Claim (Form C-3) to the Workers’ Compensation Board. File the form soon after reporting the condition and receiving medical care.
- Track key dates. Record when symptoms began, when you first sought treatment and when a provider discussed a possible connection to your duties.
- Prevent further damage. Follow your provider’s restrictions and discuss temporary task changes with your employer to reduce further strain.
These actions can also establish a clearer timeline of the condition. In New York, workers whose repetitive stress condition qualifies as an occupational disease generally must file a claim within two years of the date of disability or within two years after they knew, or reasonably should have known, that the condition was work-related.
Why the details of your condition matter
The date of your diagnosis, when your symptoms affected your ability to work and when you learned that your condition was job-related can all influence how a workers’ compensation claim is evaluated.
Those details often determine which deadlines and documentation apply to your situation. Legal guidance can explain how those requirements relate to your circumstances and identify the records that support your claim.