Office Job Injuries: Repetitive Strain, Poor Ergonomics, and Workers’ Comp Rights

NYC workers’ compensation lawyers explain options for workers with chronic office injuries

Office jobs in New York City might not seem physically dangerous. Secretaries, accountants, office managers, architects, customer service representatives and many other types of office workers often sit at a desk for hours a day.

But the reality is these office workers and many others often develop painful injuries over time, often due to performing the same tasks every day for many years. From chronic back pain to carpal tunnel syndrome, many New York City office workers sustain long-term workplace injuries that make their lives and jobs more challenging and sometimes even impossible to do.

When this happens, what options are available to injured office workers in New York City? Are they eligible for workers’ compensation, even if their injury wasn’t caused by one specific incident? Or can they receive other types of compensation for their workplace injury? The New York City workers’ compensation lawyers at Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano LLP explain what injured office workers need to know.

How common are office job injuries in New York City?

Unfortunately, many New York City office workers sustain serious, painful injuries that develop slowly over time. Every year, thousands of office workers get hurt at work, often due to long-term repetitive work that strains and tears muscles.

The same is true nationwide, where musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) remain the most common type of workplace injury, especially among office workers. (You can learn more about MSDs below). Nearly one million workers – roughly 946,500 – reported sustaining an MSD in 2023, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). That’s 36 percent of all non-fatal workplace injuries and illnesses reported by employees in private industry in 2023, when there were 2.6 million such injuries, according to the BLS.

Here’s another startling statistic – the financial impact of work-related MSDs adds up to nearly $18 billion each year in lost income, medical bills, lost productivity and other expenses, according to the National Safety Council.

What are common repetitive stress and overuse injuries in NYC offices?

While an office chair might seem like a safe place, the repetitive nature of office work can cause physical harm over time. Many of these work-related office injuries that develop slowly over many years involve musculoskeletal disorders or MSDs. Some of the most common MSDs and other work-related office injuries include:

Carpal tunnel syndrome – Caused by repetitive typing or mouse use, resulting in wrist pain, numbness, and loss of grip strength.
Cervical spine strain (neck pain) – Often due to poor monitor positioning or long periods of looking down at a laptop or phone.
Lower back injuries – Sitting for hours in non-ergonomic chairs without proper lumbar support can compress the spine.
Tendinitis – Inflammation in joints from repeated motions, such as stapling, filing, or using a mouse.
Rotator cuff injuries – Constant overhead reaching, poor shoulder positioning or prolonged keyboard use can cause these injuries, which often go hand-in-hand with shoulder pain, limited range of motion and weakness when lifting or carrying.
Strained muscles – Long hours of static posture or awkward positioning can overwork muscle groups in the neck, shoulders, or back, leading to tightness, fatigue, and chronic discomfort.
Sprained ligaments – Quick or awkward movements, such as turning to reach for an object or standing up abruptly, can stretch or tear ligaments, causing swelling, tenderness, and limited mobility.
Thoracic outlet syndrome – Nerve and blood vessel compression between the neck and shoulder, often caused by poor posture and desk setup.

These aren’t isolated events. They happen gradually. And if left untreated, they can potentially become permanent and increasingly painful.

What are common causes of office injuries?

Painful work-related office injuries that develop slowly over time occur for many different reasons, including:

Repetitive motions – Performing the same hand, wrist or shoulder movements every day for years – such as typing, clicking or operating machinery, especially on assembly lines – can strain muscles and tendons over time.
Poor ergonomics – Using improperly positioned desks, chairs or computer monitors can place constant stress on the spine, neck and joints.
Awkward postures – Sitting or reaching in unnatural positions for extended periods of time, day after day, can cause joint misalignment and chronic muscle fatigue.
Heavy lifting – Carrying boxes, office supplies, or equipment without proper technique can lead to back injuries, herniated discs and chronic back pain.

Does workers’ compensation cover office injuries that develop slowly over time?

Yes. The New York State Workers’ Compensation Board does not differentiate between work-related injuries that occur as a result of a single incident or ones that take years to develop. If you get hurt on the job and you can’t work because of your injury, you are eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits.

That means if your condition developed slowly over the course of your employment – for example, neck pain after years of working at a poorly positioned computer monitor – you should still qualify for workers’ compensation.

In order to receive benefits, you must show that:

Your injury was caused by the nature of your job duties.
You notified your employer within 30 days of realizing your condition was work-related.
A licensed physician confirms the connection between your medical condition and your work.

Common symptoms of a work-related office injury

Sometimes office workers delay filing a claim because they’re unsure if what they’re experiencing qualifies as a work injury. If you’re experiencing any of these symptoms, see a doctor right away:

Tingling, numbness or burning sensation in your hands, wrists or fingers
Sharp or aching pain in your lower back, especially after sitting too long
Stiffness or limited range of motion in your neck, shoulders or arms
Muscle spasms in your shoulders, upper back or lower back
Difficulty gripping objects
Pain when typing or performing other routine tasks

Waiting too long can hurt your health and your workers’ compensation claim. If your condition interferes with your ability to do your job comfortably or safely, you should take action right away. And often, that starts with seeing a doctor to discuss your symptoms.

What compensation can injured NYC workers receive for repetitive injuries?

Under New York law, injured workers are entitled to receive compensation in the form of workers’ compensation. This money is intended to provide financial assistance to injured workers who need it most. Such compensation often pays for:

Full coverage for medical treatment related to your injury
Partial wage replacement if you are unable to work or are placed on restricted duty
Reimbursement for travel to medical appointments
Temporary partial or total disability benefits if you can’t work while recovering
Permanent disability benefits if your injury results in long-term impairment
Job retraining or vocational rehabilitation, if needed

Unlike personal injury lawsuits, workers’ compensation in New York is a no-fault system. That means you do not have to prove that your employer did anything wrong. You simply need to show that your injury occurred as a result of your work.

Why are some workers’ comp claims wrongly denied?

Even though the law allows compensation for repetitive strain injuries, these claims are often more complex than those involving an obvious workplace accident. That’s because painful injuries that develop slowly over time often don’t have a specific starting point for when the injury first occurred.

Employers or insurance companies sometimes deny workers’ comp claims. They may:

Dispute whether your condition is actually work-related
Argue that your pain is due to aging or a non-work cause
Deny claims based on delayed reporting or incomplete documentation
Downplay the severity of your work-related injury

That’s why having strong medical evidence and legal representation can often make all the difference – and hopefully change your denial into an approval.

How long do you have to file a workers’ comp claim?

In most cases, you must file a workers’ compensation claim in New York within two years of the date you knew or should have known that your condition was work-related. This deadline can be tricky with repetitive stress injuries since symptoms may develop gradually and the starting date for the two-year deadline (known as the statute of limitations) can be debated.

That’s why it’s critical to document your symptoms, report them to your employer and talk to an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer as soon as possible if you think your job duties are to blame for your medical condition.

What documentation do I need for long-term workplace injuries?

To succeed with a workers’ compensation claim for a gradual-onset injury, you often need detailed evidence of your injury. Supporting documentation can include:

A medical report from your doctor explaining how your work caused or contributed to your medical condition
A thorough description of your job duties and daily tasks
Records of when your symptoms started and how they progressed over time
Documentation that you notified your employer within 30 days of you becoming aware of your work-related injury

It’s also important to work with a doctor who is authorized by the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board to treat injured workers. If you see an unauthorized medical doctor, your workers’ compensation claim will likely be denied.

Why you need a New York workers’ compensation lawyer

Many office workers assume that filing a claim for a repetitive strain injury is straightforward. But insurance carriers often push back harder on these claims, questioning whether the injury was truly caused by work or if it’s serious enough to qualify for benefits.

A knowledgeable NYC workers’ compensation attorney can:

Help you file the correct paperwork
Make sure you meet all application deadlines
Connect you with doctors who understand repetitive work injuries
Challenge a denial or dispute from the insurance company
Maximize the amount of weekly benefits and medical coverage you receive

If you’ve been working through pain for years and now it’s interfering with your job, don’t wait. Get the relief and the legal help you deserve. Contact Pasternack Tilker Ziegler Walsh Stanton & Romano, LLP.

Our New York City workers’ compensation lawyers represent injured office workers dealing with painful medical conditions that developed slowly over time. We understand the skepticism these cases sometimes face, and we know how to prove that a seemingly “small” injury can have a big impact.

Contact us today to learn more about your legal options. We have 12 offices conveniently located in New York, including two offices in Brooklyn and one in Manhattan.

Click here for a printable PDF of this article, “Office Job Injuries: Repetitive Strain, Poor Ergonomics and Workers’ Comp Rights.”