Carpal tunnel syndrome is an acknowledged medical condition, caused by applying regular pressure to the inside area of the wrist where the carpal tunnel is located. Within the carpal tunnel is the median nerve – a nerve which runs between your forearm and the palm of your hand – which can get compressed when the tendons surrounding it are inflamed under certain conditions. The compression of the median nerve is the factor which causes carpal tunnel syndrome, and leads to tingling sensations in the wrist, upper arm, shoulder and neck – developing into pain or numbness over a period of time.

One of the most common scenarios leading to carpal tunnel syndrome is long and frequent use of a computer, with your wrists in the wrong position – an issue which first affected data entry technicians back in the 1980s and which has since been the cause of a significant number of health and safety regulations. There is even a science now dedicated to the correct posture at a computer (ergonomics) and the reduction of carpal tunnel syndrome.

Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 section 12, General Application of the Regulations 1993 and 2007 and EC Council Directive 90/2270/EEC, employers have a statutory obligation to ensure that employees are protected against “physical difficulties” such as carpal tunnel syndrome, and they should provide employees with ergonomic keyboards and mice and instruction on how to use them.

Claiming for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

If you feel that you have symptoms consistent with carpal tunnel syndrome, you should see a doctor immediately. Do not try to “work through the pain”, because it is the work which will only cause the pain to get worse: whereas mild carpal tunnel syndrome can be treated with anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroid injections and by using a wrist brace, severe cases of carpal tunnel syndrome will require surgery.

Your doctor will advise you to take time off work and see if you can make changes to your work environment to prevent a re-occurrence of carpal syndrome. A solicitor will advise you to claim compensation for the physical trauma you have suffered and get your employer to pay for the changes at work.

However, determining liability for carpal tunnel syndrome may not always be straightforward. An employer´s insurance company will argue that carpal tunnel syndrome can be a symptom of other medical conditions (diabetes and obesity amongst them) or can be passed down genetically. This is why, when considering making a compensation claim for carpal tunnel syndrome, it is always best to use a solicitor to assist you.

For this reason, we have established a free advice telephone service which you are invited to call – free of charge and free of obligation – to discuss your carpal tunnel syndrome claim for compensation with an experience personal injury claims solicitor.

Our solicitor will offer accurate and helpful advice to assist you with your claim and make suggestions about what level of compensation you should expect to receive. Call us now or if you cannot speak now please fill in the form on the left and we will call you back.

Our Promise to You:

What You Can Expect

Making a claim against a negligent employer for many people is a highly sensitive subject. You may well be in a dilemma about what to do despite the pain you may be suffering. Our solicitors will take that on board when you speak with them, and be very understanding of the situation you are in.

We will ask you to tell us how you acquired the carpal tunnel syndrome condition and where you believe your employer may have been negligent. We will also need to know how severe your doctor feels it is and what treatment he has recommended for you.

There may also be issues with your family and social life due to the symptoms of your conditions, and you may want to factor in an amount for your compensation claim for carpal tunnel syndrome to account for a reduced quality of life.

Our solicitor will assess your case and advise you whether there are grounds for a carpal tunnel syndrome compensation claim which is worth your while to pursue. If we feel it is worthwhile, you are not committed to pressing on with a claim – you are more than welcome to go away and think about it.

Even though you have two years from the “date of knowledge” of having carpal tunnel syndrome (i.e. two years from the date you were diagnosed with carpal tunnel syndrome by your doctor) in which to make a claim for compensation, we would advise that you do not leave it any longer than you have to.

With the potential for liability disputes and medical confirmations being required, compiling a case for carpal tunnel syndrome compensation may take a little longer than an average personal injury compensation claim. Therefore, we would ask that you call our free advice telephone service at the first convenient opportunity and speak with one of our dedicated and professional solicitors.

If you prefer, you can leave your contact details in the call-back box below and one of our friendly team will call you back at a more suitable time. We look forward to hearing from you.