Carpal Tunnel Workers Compensation: Average Settlement
Carpal tunnel is a serious condition that can lead to debilitating injuries. When a carpal tunnel results from an on-the-job accident, there may be a compensation case. Workers’ comp settlements in the state of California can help the victim receive money for their lost wages and medical care as a result of the injury. Here are a few things you need to know about the average settlement of these carpal tunnel cases.
Have you suffered from an injury while working on the job? If you or a loved one have been injured, make sure to contact Invictus Law.
What Is Carpal Tunnel Syndrome?
Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) can affect a person’s quality of life. It can cause a tingling or numbness in the arm or hand. This injury is due to a pinched nerve in the wrist area, which is known as the median nerve. Some of these symptoms can include:
- Weakness in the wrist or hand,
- Paresthesia,
- Numbness in the index finger, hand, or wrist,
- Loss of feeling in the fingers, hand, or wrist, and
- Radiating pain in the shoulder
Common Causes and Risk Groups
Repetitive motion is the leading cause of carpal tunnel syndrome. When that motion puts pressure on the wrist and hand, it can punch the median nerve. Typing, picking up heavy objects, and using hand tools are some actions that can cause this type of injury. Those in the risk group for developing these injuries include:
- Administrative workers,
- Truckers,
- Textile workers,
- Construction workers,
- Florists, and
- Butchers.
However, this is not a full list of professions that can be affected by carpal tunnel. When an injury on the job causes carpal tunnel, you need to seek legal advice from a workers compensation or personal injury attorney.
Related: Reopening An Old Workers Comp Claim
Carpal Tunnel Workers Compensation Average Settlement
In the state of California, the average carpal tunnel workers’ comp settlement can range from $30,000 to $70,000. In some cases, that settlement amount is higher. Remember that all workers comp cases are different, and there are never two claims that are exactly alike. Some of the settlement amount depending on various factors, such as:
- Weekly pay of the injured worker before the accident,
- Whether the injury happened at work, and
- Medical evidence supporting the worker’s claim.
What Is Workers Compensation?
Workers’ comp is a type of insurance that provides wage replacement and medical benefits to an injured worker. In turn, the injured party waives their right to sue the employers for negligence. When the worker is injured on the job, they will enter into a settlement with the state of California’s workers’ compensation board. Some of these compensation settlement benefits could include:
- Lost wages as a temporary disability benefit,
- Medical benefits for expenses, bills, and treatment, and
- Permanent disability benefits due to a partial or permanent disability from the injury.
In California, all workers’ comp claims are settled through the Department of Industrial Relations.
Related: 4 Steps to Document Your Work Injury
As you can tell, it is a complicated process to receive a fair settlement for your carpal tunnel injury. You will want to work with a trusted attorney to help with your case. It is essential to never agree to the terms of a settlement without first speaking to a workers’ compensation lawyer about a work-related injury.
Carpal Tunnel Lawsuit Settlements
If you want to know the estimated worth of your workers’ comp claim, there are several factors that will determine your settlement. In many cases, the severity of the personal injury is the top factor, along with other pertinent facts related to the injury.
As previously mentioned, the average settlement of these claims often ranges from $30,000 to $70,000. These settlement factors are always different and often depend on:
- The pain of the injury,
- Injured party’s age,
- Injured party’s occupation.
- Recovery time,
- Pre-injury pay rate, and
- Length of employment for the injured party.
If the injured party wants to receive a settlement for their workers’ comp claim, that must establish that their work was the leading cause of the injury.
What Is a Workers’ Comp Settlement?
When a worker is hurt on the job, they are entitled to certain benefits. This agreement is established between the worker and the workers’ compensation insurance company. For those workers injured while employed as federal employees, they can make a claim with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers Compensation. However, if an employee is injured and employed by a state government agency, these injured parties can file with the state’s workers’ compensation board.
Workers’ Comp Settlements in California
For those non-federal employees in California, any workers’ compensation claims are handled by the Department of Industrial Relations. There are two outcomes to these cases. The employee can agree to have the insurance company pay for all future medical care for the remainder of their lives or take those medical treatments’ cash value. In addition to that, a workers’ comp settlement may include:
- Additional medical care,
- Temporary or permanent disability payments, and
- Job displacement benefits.
Related: What If Your Employer Didn’t Report Job Injury? Here’s What To Do
Any medical care will be performed by a doctor in the Medical Provider Network (MPN). Those temporary benefits are compensation for lost wages during the time of the injury, and the amount is based on what the employee would have made if they were not injured. When a worker gets permanent disability benefits, that is a payout for the loss of future earning capacity due to a permanent disability. Finally, job displacement benefits will cover all expenses related to job retraining. Any worker who is not able to return to the job receives a $6,000 supplement training voucher.
Are you experiencing pain from a carpal tunnel injury received while on the job? Invictus Law has experienced worker’s compensation attorneys who are ready to handle your case!
