DELVENTHAL LAW
Injury from Repetitive Motions at Work?
Workers who engage in the same type of repetitive motion for hours on end are at risk of suffering injury. These repetitive motion injuries, also called “repetitive stress injuries,” can lead to expensive medical care, lost wages, and possibly long-term disability.If you have suffered a repetitive motion injury, please contact the experienced Fort Wayne repetitive motion injury lawyers at Delventhal Law Office today for a free consultation.
THE RISK OF REPETITIVE MOTION INJUIRES
According to Liberty Mutual[1], repetitive motion of micro tasks is one of the top 10 leading causes of workplace injuries, affecting about 3% of those injured and costing billions of dollars in lost productivity. Repetitive motion injuries can also be aggravated by overexertion, which is the number one cause of injuries at work.
Anyone who performs small tasks over and over is at risk. Something as simple as typing or punching numbers on a calculator or keypad could cause an injury, especially when workers ignore initial signs of fatigue.
TYPES OF REPETITIVE MOTION INJURIES
Some of the most common repetitive motion injuries include:
- Carpal tunnel syndrome. If a worker experiences tingling, numbness, or weakness in a hand, then they might have this syndrome. It occurs when pressure is exerted on the median nerve, which runs the length of a person’s arm and passes through a tunnel at the wrist. Repetitive motion can cause inflammation, which narrows the space for the nerve to pass.
- Tendonitis. Tendons connect muscles to bones but can become inflamed through repetitive motions. Tendonitis can last for months or years.
- Bursitis. The bursae are sacs of fluid that cushion joints. Repetitive motion can lead to inflammation of these sacs and pain in the affected joint. Bursitis is very common in the knees, shoulders, hips, and elbows.
Pain is often the first sign that something is wrong. Workers should stretch muscles and seek appropriate treatment, including rest. Overexertion will make minor problems even worse.
AN EMPLOYER’S RESPONSIBILITIES WITH THESE INJURIES
Employers are required to provide a safe work environment for their employees. To that end, they should:
- Notify employees about the most common repetitive stress injuries for their job.
- Provide training on how to perform tasks properly to reduce the risk of injury.
- Ensure employees have the necessary safety equipment that can reduce their risk of injuries.
- Give workers enough time off so that they can recover from an injury.
Some injuries can be prevented if the worker can take a day off to rest sore muscles or receive massage. However, when pushed too far, a minor nagging injury can blow up and become a disabling injury that prevents the worker from returning to their job. If this is the case, then you should contact the experienced Fort Wayne Repetitive Motion Lawyers at Delventhal Law Office, LLC.
QUALIFYING FOR WORKERS’ COMPENSATION BENEFITS
Virtually all Indiana employers carry workers’ compensation insurance, which can pay benefits to workers who are injured on the job. A repetitive motion injury can qualify for benefits, including medical care and wage loss benefits.
If you have been injured on the job, you must notify your employer of your injury within 30 days. You should avoid delays.
Next, reach out to Delventhal Law Office if you have a question about receiving compensation for a repetitive motion injury. Our number is (260) 484-6655, so call one of our Fort Wayne repetitive motion injury lawyers who are standing by.
The Indiana law that applies to your repetitive motion injury case
Indiana's two-year personal-injury statute of limitations at IC 34-11-2-4[2] controls Fort Wayne repetitive motion claims, but the statute clock generally runs from the date the condition was discovered or reasonably should have been discovered — a critical distinction for cumulative-trauma cases. The 51% modified comparative-fault rule at IC 34-51-2-6[3] bars recovery if the injured worker is found more than half at fault. Workers' compensation is the most common path for these claims under Indiana Workers' Compensation Board rules, with employer-notice obligations that begin when the worker first connects the condition to the job.
How insurance carriers fight Fort Wayne repetitive motion injury claims
Repetitive motion claims face a heavily scripted carrier defense built around causation and chronology. First is the non-occupational-cause argument — adjusters and defense IMEs blame hobbies, household tasks, sleeping posture, prior surgery, or systemic conditions like diabetes for carpal tunnel, cubital tunnel, or rotator-cuff tendinopathy. Second is the prior-employment argument: in a region with substantial manufacturing turnover, carriers shift blame to a previous employer's shop floor. Third is the ergonomic-compliance argument, where employers point to written ergonomic programs as proof the workstation was acceptable, ignoring real-world cycle times and force loads. Fourth is the asymptomatic-baseline argument when imaging shows degenerative changes consistent with the worker's age. We counter with the OSHA ergonomic standards published at OSHA laws and regulations[4] and treating-physician causation opinions tied to specific job duties.
Evidence we preserve in the first 48 hours
Repetitive motion cases turn on precise job-duty documentation, exposure quantification, and the treating-physician causation chain. From the moment we open the file we secure:
- Detailed job-duty records — cycle times, force loads, repetitions per shift, vibration exposure, and posture requirements — for the specific workstation at issue.
- Nerve-conduction studies, EMG, and ultrasound imaging documenting carpal tunnel, cubital tunnel, rotator cuff tendinopathy, or epicondylitis with objective findings.
- OSHA 300 logs and the employer's prior repetitive-trauma incident history, which often shows a pattern of similar diagnoses among co-workers at the same workstation.
- The treating-physician causation opinion tying the diagnosed condition to specific occupational exposures under Daubert-ready methodology, not generic ergonomic theory.
- Pre-employment physical examination records and any prior treatment records to establish the baseline before the cumulative occupational exposure began.
Damages categories in an Indiana repetitive motion injury case
Repetitive motion damages are recoverable in workers' compensation and in third-party claims when applicable. Economic damages cover ER and primary-care evaluation, nerve-conduction studies, EMG, surgical decompression for carpal or cubital tunnel, post-operative occupational therapy, and lost wages during restricted-duty status. Future damages account for recurrence after surgical release and the documented chronic-pain or impairment trajectory captured in American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons[5] outcomes research. Non-economic damages, available in third-party claims, cover chronic pain, grip-strength loss, sleep disruption, and permanent impairment.
What our repetitive motion injury clients ask most
How much is a Fort Wayne repetitive motion case worth?
Workers' compensation value tracks the AMA Guides impairment rating, lost wages, and medical expenses. A successfully decompressed bilateral carpal tunnel case with documented impairment and full return to duty resolves in the low to mid five figures on the WC side. Cases that progress to permanent restriction or job loss settle substantially higher.
When does the statute of limitations start for repetitive motion claims?
Indiana applies a discovery rule for cumulative-trauma claims — the two-year clock under IC 34-11-2-4[2] generally runs from the date the worker discovered or reasonably should have discovered both the condition and its connection to the job. Workers' compensation notice obligations to the employer begin at the same discovery point, not the original onset of symptoms.
The carrier blames my hobbies and prior jobs — how do you defeat that?
Carrier deflection to hobbies and prior employment is defeated by precise job-duty documentation showing cycle times, force loads, and repetitions specific to the current workstation, combined with a treating-physician causation opinion under Daubert-ready methodology that addresses each alleged alternative cause and explains why the occupational exposure is the dominant contributor.
Can I sue someone other than my employer for a repetitive motion injury?
Workers' compensation is the exclusive remedy against the direct employer, but third-party claims against tool or equipment manufacturers, staffing agencies, and contractors can run in parallel when a non-employer's product or conduct contributed to the cumulative exposure. Vibration tool design defects and inadequate workstation engineering by an outside vendor are recurring theories.
Will I need surgery for carpal tunnel or a repetitive motion injury?
Surgical decisions belong to the hand surgeon or orthopedic surgeon based on nerve-conduction findings, symptom severity, and response to conservative care — wrist splinting, ergonomic modifications, and corticosteroid injections. AAOS and ASSH clinical guidance support carpal tunnel release for documented progressive nerve dysfunction and failed conservative treatment across a structured trial period.
What happens after you hire us
From the day we open the repetitive motion file we preserve nerve-conduction and EMG studies, secure OSHA 300 logs and job-duty records, and place hospital, occupational-medicine, and surgical records on litigation hold. We coordinate the treating-physician causation opinion under Daubert-ready methodology and send a demand once you reach maximum medical improvement after surgical decompression or the conservative-care endpoint. If causation is disputed, the matter proceeds to the Workers' Compensation Board or Allen Superior Court. Contingency-fee — no fee unless we recover.
