Tendon injuries claims

The tendons are fibrous cords which act as connectors between muscles and bones. They enable a wide range of movements to take place for example tendons in the arm enable movement in the wrist and fingers.

But like any part of the body they can become damaged as a result of overuse, repetitive movements or excess force. This results in conditions such as repetitive strain injury (RSI) and tendonitis.

If you developed a tendon injury which is connected to your job then you may be able to claim compensation.

Poor posture, bad ergonomics and overuse account for many tendon injuries.

High risk occupations for tendon injuries

There are certain jobs which are considered high risk for tendon injuries which include:

• Production line work
• Data input
• Cleaners
• Engineers
• Board manufactures
• Sewing

Anyone who is new to these types of jobs is at risk. Older workers may fall into this category due to the fact that tendons stiffen with age which can make them prone to injury.

Employer responsibility

An employer has a duty of care to protect their employees against the risk of an accident and injury. This means implementing Health and Safety guidelines which are designed to safeguard employees and providing extra protection.

This means performing a risk assessment for each new employee, checking their workstation to see if it is set up correctly and advising an employee to take short breaks whenever possible.

If none of these are implemented then the employee is a risk of an injury such as RSI or tendonitis.

If you have suffered a tendon injury then this can have a serious effect upon your quality of life.

Effects of a tendon injury

A tendon injury may take several weeks (or more) to heal which may mean you having to change jobs in the meantime, or taking time off work. All of this is inconvenient for both you and your employer.

This may result in a reduction in your current income which causes stress for both you and your family. A drop or loss of earnings will affect your standard of living and in some cases may cause financial hardship.

Your injury may require treatment such as anti-inflammatory painkillers, cortisone injections, antibiotics or even surgery. There may be additional expenses such as taxi fares to hospital or physiotherapy.

A tendon injury is painful and often persists for a long period of time. It causes a great deal of physical and mental distress for both you and your family and is an unpleasant injury to deal with.

Compensation can help by covering the cost of treatment and rehabilitation which may ease the burden this has caused you and your family.

Making a claim for compensation for a tendon injury

Find a personal injury lawyer with experience in handling these types of claims. He or she will have knowledge of the many issues - both legal and medical, which are associated with claims of this type and will use this to secure the best outcome for you.

He or she should deal with your claim in a sympathetic and understanding manner and keep you updated through each stage of the process.

The lawyer will review your claim to start with to determine if there are sufficient grounds for making a claim. He or she will examine the supporting evidence which is a vital part of the process and can determine the outcome of the decision.

For more information visit our making a claim for compensation section.

Time limit for claiming compensation for a tendon injury

Claims for personal injuries have strict time limits. This is set at 3 years from the date of the accident, injury or diagnosis of the illness.

There are a few exceptions to this so you may wish to confirm this with your lawyer or solicitor.