St. Louis Repetitive Stress Injuries Attorneys

Railroad Workers and Repetitive Stress Injuries

Railroad workers may seek financial compensation for their injuries through the Federal Employers’ Liability Act (FELA) if their injuries resulted from carelessness or negligence. Proving negligence in a railroad work injury case can be pretty straightforward, however, proving negligence for a debilitating injury after years of repeating the same action can be much more challenging.

Repetitive stress injuries are simply physical injuries caused by the repetitive use of a body part. Many railroad employees who perform difficult physical tasks day in and day out at work are subject to these types of injuries. The everyday wear and tear on a railroad worker’s body can have a price such as chronic long-term pain. It is important to remember that repetitive stress injuries are not limited to individuals who have to perform the same task every day.

Examples of Repetitive Stress Injuries

There are many types of injuries that may occur from years of manual labor at a railroad jobsite. Examples of common repetitive stress injuries include:

• Bursitis: This injury involves inflammation of the bursa sac between a tendon and skin or the tendon and a bone. Symptoms include pain, tenderness, stiffness, swelling and achiness around the affected joint.
• Tendinitis: This is the inflammation or swelling of a tendon. Railroad workers often suffer painful tendinitis in their elbow, heel, wrist or shoulder.
• Carpal tunnel syndrome: This can occur when the wrist nerve that supplies movement and feeling to parts in the hand is put under pressure. Railroad jobs that require small, repetitive motions of the hand and wrist may become difficult or impossible to perform.
• Tenosynovitis: Repetitive stress may sometimes result in an inflammation of the lining of the sheath around a tendon. This injury most often affects the wrists, hands and feet.
• Hearing loss: Railroad workers who are around loud machines and trains all day may eventually lose their hearing or have diminished hearing.
• Chronic back pain: Back pain from overwork can make all physical tasks at a railroad jobsite unbearable.
• Ganglion cyst: Most ganglion cysts occur at the scapholunate joint around the wrist. This uncomfortable condition often requires surgery.
• Epicondylitis: This injury is commonly known as tennis elbow. Workers suffering from this injury may be unable to perform several routine tasks on the job.

Seeking Compensation

Workers seeking compensation for repetitive stress injuries through FELA will have to prove that their employers could have prevented their injuries had they modified their work tasks or provided them with tools and information to prevent these injuries. The experienced St. Louis injury attorneys at Page Law have an excellent track record of helping injured employees obtain fair compensation for their injuries and losses. Call our law offices today at (314) 322-8515 to find out how we can help you.