RSI Claims

RSI, or repetitive strain injury, is an umbrella term used to describe any injury where soft tissues, tendons, muscles and ligaments are put under strain and stress from performing the same action repetitively. Originally used to describe hand cramps associated with the early manual telephone exchanges, RSI has been a common complaint for typists and computer operators in the past – leading to many RSI claims for compensation – and it can also be associated with any physical movement that is done continuously. Where employers fail to make adequate provision against repetitive strain injury, this can lead to RSI claims.

RSI Symptoms

Symptoms of RSI are normally pains in the back, arms, shoulders, wrists, hands and thumbs which grow worse with performing the activity which is causing the pain. The sufferer also experiences a lack of endurance – affecting their work and social life and leading to the incidence of other psychosomatic complaints. This effect on a person´s quality of life can lead to RSI claims for compensation to cover more than just the physical pain they suffer.

A whole new industry – ergonomics – has grown around the need for employers to ensure that their employees work in an environment that prevents RSI, and in Ireland there are regulations within the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act to ensure that they do. This does not just mean that employers have to supply ergonomically designed computer hardware, they are responsible to protect any employee that has to perform a repetitive action – trainee chefs have previously made RSI claims for compensation due to the repetitive chopping of vegetables with blunt knifes!

If you feel that you are suffering from the symptoms of RSI, you should visit your family doctor to get confirmation of your complaint. If you explain to them any repetitive actions that you perform in the course of your work, they will be able to determine whether your symptoms are RSI related and this diagnosis will form the basis of any RSI claims for compensation.

Making RSI Claims for Compensation

Employers in Ireland have had more than two decades since the first RSI legislation was introduced to improve the workplace environment, and can have no reason to complain if RSI claims for compensation are made against them. RSI claims are dealt with initially by the Injuries Board but, as RSI tends to be non-anatomical, assessments for compensation can be woefully inadequate.

Because of this lack of detectable damage and the social and psychosomatic effect RSI has on the sufferer, it is in your best interests to speak with a specialist personal injury claims solicitor when considering RSI claims for compensation. A specialist solicitor will be able to guide you through the correct way to deal with an application, what to include in “general” and “special” damages, how to deal with an approach from your employer´s insurance company and what to do next if your employer disputes liability or the amount of the assessment.

If you are in any of the above situations, or would just like to speak with a solicitor to determine your rights in regard to making RSI claims, please do not hesitate to call our free advice telephone service. You will be able to put any question you have RSI claims for compensation to a legal professional and receive helpful and impartial advice. The service is totally confidential and you are under no obligation to proceed with a claim.

Call us now on 1-800 989 995 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 When You Call

You will deal directly with an experienced and specialised personal injury claims solicitor who is familiar with RSI claims for compensation due to an employer´s lack of care. They will ask you to explain what it is you do for a living, how you have been diagnosed by your doctor and what effect it is having on your work, social and family life.

If you have any questions, you are more than welcome to ask them. Many times a clients´ questions will lead to other avenues which may strengthen RSI claims for compensation, and encourage a much better settlement offer from the employer´s insurance company. Our solicitors will answer them as best they can and offer further advice to you.

We will also try to assess straightaway if you have an RSI claim for compensation that is worth your while to pursue and, if so, will advise you how long the claim will take to process and what you would need to do next. As mentioned above, you are under no obligation to proceed with a claim, but if you choose to do so, we would guide you through the whole procedure.

Your next step should be to give us a call on the free advice telephone service on 1-800 989 995

We understand that many people will be in a dilemma about potentially making RSI claims against their employer, but by speaking to us first, we can put your mind at rest and advise you of what actions would be appropriate to take.

If you cannot call us right now, please bookmark this page or make a note of this number to call us back at a more convenient time. Alternatively, you can complete your details in the call-back form below, and one of our helpful team will call you at a more suitable time. We look forward to hearing from you.