There are many reasons that Minnesota residents may file for workers’ compensation, but those reasons need to be job related. Workers’ comp is insurance paid to people who have become sick or injured while doing their jobs. This type of compensation allows them to continue to get paid and to handle medical bills while they heal. Nerve damage injuries that come about as a result of dealing with power tools often force people to apply for workers’ comp.
What happens when people get nerve damage from power tools?
Power tools vibrate the arm, hand, and body very quickly. This constant repetitive vibration localized in your hands sometimes causes a condition called Vibration White Finger, or VWF. This type of condition comes about as a result of Hand Arm Vibration (HAV), the type of vibration that reaches your hands when you’re working with handheld power tools or machinery that vibrates. Prolonged exposure to power tools can lead to serious injuries, including damage to your sensory nerves, damage to your bones and joints, strained muscles, and damage to your circulatory system. The damage to your blood’s circulation causes VWF.
The initial symptoms of VWF are usually felt when your hands get cold or wet. You might notice that your fingertips start to feel wet. As you continue to use the power tools, the white area becomes larger. When you suffer an attack, that white area becomes numb. Some people feel the pins and needles effect. The end of the attack will usually cause the white area to turn red and painful.
Even though the condition is called the VWF, it can affect the toes as well, particularly if you have a severe case. Ultimately, you may start to experience a loss of strength, mobility, and motility in your hands, wrists, and arms. For employees, workers’ comp is often the next step.
What can people who suffer from VWF and other vibration injuries do for help?
VWF can be extremely debilitating, and it can prevent someone from working. This usually leads to this person having to apply for workers’ comp. People dealing with this condition may benefit by working with attorneys who have experience handling cases involving potential nerve damage from power tools.
