[claudemorrow]

I work for a local utility company in St.Louis,Mo. I operate JackHammers, dig holes with shovels, etc... a lot of physical labor. One day I started experiencing pain in my left arm, went to a doctor about 2 weeks later, the doctor scheduled an appointment for a nerve conduction test and an arterial doppler. The results came back that I have Carpal Tunnel. The doctor suggested to me that the carpal tunnel is probably the result of my working with the Jackhammer, digging with shovel etc....and recommended I call an orthopedic surgeon. I called the surgeons' office to schedule an appointment and the secretary stated that if it is a work related injury I would have to get authorization from my employer in order for me to receive treatment from the orthopedic surgeon. My question is this, I am going to have to make an injury report with my employer and one of the questions are, what date did the injury occur. I did not make an injury report when I noticed the symptoms in my arm because I did not know that it was carpal tunnel, so I don't know the exact date. In order for me to file a workmens compensation claim, is it absolutely necessary to know the exact date when I started feeling the symptoms. I recall some uneasiness in my arm when I was jackhammering but I had no idea that it might be carpal tunnel, I simply thought the arm was a little more tired than normal but not carpal tunnel. Any help is greatly appreciated.

[aaron]

There probably isn't an exact date - it sounds like your carpal tunnel syndrome results from a repetitive stress injury as opposed to a single trauma, and repetitive stress injuries are cumulative. Do the best you can.