Tens of thousands of Minnesotans work with heavy machinery or power tools every day on the job, and while these pieces of equipment can be dangerous in the moment, even safe use of these products can lead to injuries later in life. Heavy, vibrating machinery can lead to long-term injuries even when the equipment is handled carefully. So what should you do if your body is dealing with the fallout of working with vibrating machinery for an extended portion of your working career? We explore how vibration injury compensation is handled in today’s blog.
Common Vibration Injuries
A number of power tools vibrate during use or are used best when the controller uses their muscles to help stabilize the device as it runs. Tools like jackhammers, chainsaws, impact drivers, jigsaws and power drillers all require the user to hold the device steady while also dealing with the heaviness and oscillation of the machine while it’s in use. Your hands and arms help to absorb these vibrations, and over time that can lead to damage of these soft tissues.
Some common injuries caused by repetitive use of vibrating machines and tools include:
- Muscle strains
- Nerve damage
- Raynaud’s phenomenon
These conditions don’t always present with pain. While many of the above conditions are painful, they can also cause other symptoms that can make your life more difficult. If you’re dealing with problems like hand or arm weakness, numbness, a tingling sensation in the fingers or hands, loss of grip strength or a worsening of your fine motor skills, there’s a good chance that your repetitive use of vibrating machinery played a role in these symptoms, and you deserve compensation.
It doesn’t matter if you’re still working for the company, you’ve moved onto a different position or you’ve retired, if you’re dealing with problems that are likely tied to repetitive vibrating machines use, you are entitled to compensation. The simplest way to do that is to connect with an injury lawyer.
They’ll be able to review the facts of your case and put together a strong claim that ties your injuries and symptoms to your regular job duties. However, in order to do this, you’ll need to undergo an independent medical exam by a physician of your choosing. These injuries may already be documented by your primary care provider, but you’ll want to set up an independent medical exam and let the provider know what you’re dealing with and that you’re considering pursuing injury compensation. They will have their own protocols to follow during this consultation, but their findings will carry a lot of weight in the courtroom. If they uncover injuries and believe that they are tied to your work duties, it will be much easier to pursue compensation and win an injury award.
Remember, you can pursue compensation for these types of injuries even if you no longer work for the company. It won’t always be easy, and you can expect some pushback from the other side, but that’s what we’re here for. We can be the ally in your corner to ensure you get the benefits you deserve following a vibrating tool injury.
If fine motor tasks have become difficult, or you’re dealing with muscle weakness or hand tremors tied to your work with heavy machinery, know that you have legal options in Minnesota. For more information, or for help with a different type of injury claim, reach out to Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm today at (952) 230-2700.
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