I have been working at a restaurant in the kitchen for approximately 8 months now, and my hands are getting more and more numb from the repetitive work that I have been doing there. I have to lift a lot of heavy things, sometimes lifting heavy pans with just one hand due to a busy rush hour and similar things such as that.

My employer is also very pushy and bossy, trying to force me to quit, which is another story I have heard from a lot of people that get into the situation where they might claim workman's comp. He has been very pushy and even other employees there have confirmed my paranoia that he is just singling me out and is much harder on me than other employees, yada yada.

My question is, if I do file for workman's comp, how do I go about it? My hands are really getting to the point where I can barely use them. They are particularly numb when I go to sleep at night, and when I wake up in the morning they are numb for at least a good two hours. The repetitive work that I do there is obviously causing my pain and numbness but I just don't know how to go about all this. Any advice is really greatly appreciated.

Ok first off..I had the same problem..I didnt go the workers comp route..I am due to have surgery next month...I know workers comp takes a while to get diagnosed yadayada..However i know restaraunts dont pay alot and it will be to say the least difficult to live with no income !!! I am very lucky to have my hubbys income!!! If you wait too long workers comp or the comp you worked for could say...Well it could have happened anywhere he/she has been complaining all this time..so timing is imparitive!! Also i have heard that carpel tunnel is so common these days that it is hard to get workers comp to pay..so my best advice would be..do your homework!!! your employer doesnt want a big ole workers comp case ..Of course they are gonna try to get you to quit!!!! The best bet would be during working hours after you have been there a while...Tell them your hand hurts real bad then go to a med center through work..that way you have documentation that it "happened at work"...You can buy a splint to wear at night for about 20 bucks..that will help with the numbness!!Keep us posted...

I have been working at a restaurant in the kitchen for approximately 8 months now, and my hands are getting more and more numb from the repetitive work that I have been doing there. I have to lift a lot of heavy things, sometimes lifting heavy pans with just one hand due to a busy rush hour and similar things such as that.

My employer is also very pushy and bossy, trying to force me to quit, which is another story I have heard from a lot of people that get into the situation where they might claim workman's comp. He has been very pushy and even other employees there have confirmed my paranoia that he is just singling me out and is much harder on me than other employees, yada yada.

My question is, if I do file for workman's comp, how do I go about it? My hands are really getting to the point where I can barely use them. They are particularly numb when I go to sleep at night, and when I wake up in the morning they are numb for at least a good two hours. The repetitive work that I do there is obviously causing my pain and numbness but I just don't know how to go about all this. Any advice is really greatly appreciated.

Hi NPJAGER: Don't know if you got any answers to your question on the work comp issue? If you live in California I could explain what to do, but each state has different rules. Let me know if you still need some answers.

What state are you in?...if you're in Nebraska..may be able to give you the number of a workman's comp. lawyer...

i went through workmans comp for my carpal tunnel. my employer started to do the same thing with me. making me work harder, treating me different to try and get me to quit. i almost did quit too. but i thought about how much money it would cost to go through the whole thing without workmans comp, and i knew that the carpal tunnel was from work because i dont do anything else that would really cause it. i hung in there, went through all the tedeous proceedings of physical therapy and nerve conduction tests,filled out all the paper work(which is REALLY good for people with carpal tunnel,lol) anyway, finally got the surgey and it was the best thing i could have ever done. it feels so much better and after the recovery i could use my hands like normal again. i say hang in there and go through the workmans comp. especially if you think it was definately caused from work. good luck.

You just posted this in june.You have already had surgery and it was through workers comp??? Thats very unusual!!! I am still waiting.I have nerve damage and carpal tunnel and my previous employer is trying to say..I injured myself on another job even though i have been with him for the last 2 yrs!!!!
How did you get everything done so quickly through workers comp????