I shouldn’t bother my employer with my pain complaints unless it’s forcing me out of work in PA.

• Owner
• 08/29/2018

Earlier in the blog series we discussed the misconception that only people who sustain serious, one-time injuries are eligible to receive Workers’ Compensation benefits: Common Workers’ Compensation Misconceptions. We explained that work injuries can be caused by the repetitive-stress of your job and do not need to be pin-pointed to a specific time, date, or incident in order to be eligible for compensation. One of the difficulties of proving a repetitive-stress type case is proving the claimant was having pain that led them to go out of work.

Too often, we see people who were experiencing pain from repetitive activities on the job such as lifting, bending, or carrying who did not report their pain until they were forced out of work. Without a clear and obvious mechanism of injury, employers may deny the claim, as they were unaware the worker was having difficulty during the weeks leading up to reporting it. While it is far from impossible to overcome a lack of reported complaints, it is much easier to obtain benefits when employer has some indication you have been having difficulty.

Even if you are able to continue working, it is important to not brush off a sore back or elbow. More often then not your pain will subside, but in the event it does not, your path to benefits will be much smoother if you have informed your employer of your pain. This can be done by text, email, or phone as long as you keep proof that you reported your complaints. We are not suggesting you send your supervisor an email every day about how your day went, but informing a supervisor or a coworker that you are having difficulty with certain parts of your job can make all the difference.

If you believe you are developing pain due to repetitive activities at work, don’t hesitate to call Pearson Koutcher Law right away. One of our experienced and highly skilled Workers’ Compensation lawyers will answer all your questions, even if you are still working.