Deskwork may look safe, but desk workers suffer injuries like other workers. Unfortunately, the false perception of safety might complicate your worker's compensation claim for deskwork. Below are examples of deskwork injuries and tips to get worker's compensation for the same.
Examples of Injuries
Deskwork increases your risk of multiple injuries. Below are a few examples of such injuries.
Eye Problems
Many desk workers use computers daily. Regular and prolonged computer use can cause eye and vision problems that some refer to as digital eye strain. Symptoms of digital eye strain include:
- Dry eyes
- Red eyes
- Itchy eyes
- Tearing eyes
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
Digital eyestrain occurs due to multiple reasons. Examples include screen glare due to improper brightness settings, poor lighting in offices, and improper screen distance.
Blood Clots
Desk workers typically sit for hours. Such prolonged sitting interferes with proper blood circulation. Impaired blood circulation can cause blood to clot in some part of the body. The blood clot can cause serious health problems or even a fatality if it travels and lodges in a vital organ, such as the heart.
Repetitive Motion Injuries
Repetitive stress injuries affect the musculoskeletal system that comprises nerves, muscles, ligaments, and bones. The injuries occur if you perform the same motion repeatedly. Such repeated motions put undue pressure on the affected body part, causing nerve strains and inflammation.
Desk workers suffer repetitive stress injuries due to their work. For example, those who type a lot have to hold their arms in a certain way and move their fingers in a certain way. Repeated typing affects the wrists.
Muscle Strains
Lastly, desk workers can suffer serious muscle strains due to prolonged sitting. The risk is even greater if you sit for a prolonged period with the same posture. Prolonged sitting stresses the muscles that hold your body and help you maintain your posture. The stress can lead to devastating pain, for example, in the back and neck areas, after some time.
Getting Worker's Compensation Benefits
An accident in the workplace is easy to prove since you are likely to have witnesses and visible injuries. Most deskwork injuries occur over time, which makes them difficult to prove. The injuries also tend to be invisible. Use these tips to prove and get worker's compensation for your deskwork injury.
Medical Diagnosis
Get a medical diagnosis as soon as you suspect something is wrong with your health. Medical diagnosis will connect your injury to your job. The connection is necessary since worker compensation benefits only apply to work-related injuries.
Employer Notification
Notify your employer as soon as you get your diagnosis. Worker's compensation rules require prompt notification. The prompt notification also preempts allegations of preexisting injuries and makes injury investigations easy.
For more information on worker's compensation, contact a professional near you.
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