Fort Lauderdale Hand and Wrist Injuries: How They Happen and Your Rights To Florida Workers’ Compensation
Your hands are involved in nearly everything you do on the job, making them among the most vulnerable parts of your body. Whether you work on a production line, spend hours at a keyboard, or operate power tools on a Fort Lauderdale construction site, hand and wrist injuries can happen in an instant or develop gradually over months of repetitive work.
Work-related hand and wrist injuries, whether due to sudden accidents or chronic conditions that worsen over time, can leave you unable to perform tasks on your job. Our experienced Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation lawyer explains how these injuries happen, the benefits that may be available, and how to protect your claim.
How Hand and Wrist Injuries Happen On the Job in Fort Lauderdale
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), hand and wrist injuries are among the most frequently reported categories of workplace injury in the country. Common types of injuries and ways they happen include:
- Lacerations and puncture wounds from power saws, grinders, cutting tools, or sharp materials on construction and manufacturing sites.
- Crush injuries and fractures caused by machinery, heavy equipment, or materials making direct contact with the hand or wrist.
- Strained or torn tendons or ligaments from sudden impact, awkward gripping, or being caught in moving equipment.
- Carpal tunnel syndrome and repetitive strain injuries develop from sustained keyboard use, assembly work, or tool operation.
- Nerve damage resulting from vibration exposure during prolonged use of power tools or heavy machinery.
Section 440.13 of the Florida Statutes requires employers to provide workers’ compensation benefits for any job-related accident or injury, including hand and wrist injuries. Benefits cover all medically necessary treatment and lost earnings while you recover.
Protect Your Rights in a Fort Lauderdale Workers’ Compensation Claim
Hand and wrist injury claims are often downplayed or denied outright by insurers. To protect your rights and build a strong claim, take these steps:
- Report any injury to your employer in writing on the day it occurs, even if it seems minor.
- For repetitive-stress injuries, start documenting your symptoms and the connection to job duties once you notice a pattern.
- Tell your treating physician the precise nature of your work, how long you’ve been on the job, and the tools or motions involved.
- Keep records of every treatment visit, your doctor’s recommendations, and the impact your injury has on your ability to perform your job.
Keep in mind that even when an insurer denies a Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation claim, you have the right to file an appeal.
Consult Our Experienced Fort Lauderdale Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
Hand and wrist injuries are common on the job, but insurers frequently deny these claims. Our experienced Fort Lauderdale workers’ compensation lawyer protects your rights, provides the trusted legal guidance you need to build a strong claim, and fights to get you benefits.
Reach out to The Law Offices of David M. Benenfeld, P.A., today to request a consultation in our Sunrise, Fort Lauderdale, or West Palm Beach office.
Sources:
bls.gov/charts/injuries-and-illnesses/total-nonfatal-work-injuries-and-illnesses-by-year.htm#
leg.state.fl.us/statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=0400-0499/0440/Sections/0440.13.html