When filing a personal injury claim, there are several ways your injury might be described. Some of these descriptions include: physical injury, permanent injury, degenerative disease, degeneration, repetitive strain injury, ‘over a period of time’ injury and so on.
There is a key distinction between injuries which result from carrying out the same task over and over, and injuries that develop over a period of time due to an underlying pre-existing condition or disease. This distinction is particularly important in workplace injury claims where you wish to prove that the injury you presently suffer was directly caused by the tasks you carried out during your employment.
Repetitive Strain Injury
‘Repetitive strain injury’ is a descriptive term, rather than a name given to a diagnosis. It is the overarching title given to the conditions resulting from the continuous use of tools or carrying out of tasks that require repeated movements. Such repeated movements cause inflammation in the affected area of the body.
Degeneration
Once this occurs, a specific diagnosis may be given depending on the part of the body affected and any pre-existing conditions noted. Once a repetitive strain injury has been identified, then a differential diagnosis is given which may include reference to some type of degeneration. Take for example the diagnosis of ankle degeneration or knee degeneration.
What is important to the determination of your personal injury claim is identifying the link between the workplace task you undertook and the repetitive strain injury you have sustained. You will need to obtain a medical assessment proving this link.
Repetitive Strain Injury Lawyers
If you have an injury or illness that is preventing you from working, seek legal advice to determine whether you are eligible to make a claim. If you would like to discuss your claim, contact our offices for a free consultation with one of our No Win No Fee Lawyers on (07) 3252 0011 or through our general enquiries page.