some info please

[shuggler]

not sure if this is in the right section, I have recently been diagnosed with CTS, what i wanted to know is can i claim for this condition and if so how do i go about doing so. I was told by someone that the goverment have some kind of fund for this kind of thing but not too sure about that. I will have to go for surgery in both hands shortly which will mean being off work for quite a whille and will lose income , any advice would be most welcome thanks.

[enamae]

Three members of my family have had surgery for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and in each case they operated on one wrist at a time.

 

The only references I can find to a Government Fund for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(also known as Vibration White Finger) is in respect of ex-coalminers.

 

"The first scale for assessing the condition was published in 1975- the Taylor-Pelmear scale, but it was not listed as a prescribed disease in the United Kingdom until 1985, and the Stockholm scale introduced in 1987. In 1997 the Miners High Court awarded £127,000 in compensation to seven coal miners for vibration white finger. A UK government fund set up to cover subsequent claims by ex-coalminers had exceeded £100 million in payments by 2004."

 

Depending on your type of work, it may be possible to claim compensation from your employer.

 

You would be entitled to statutory sick pay until you were able to return to work.

I've attached a link for information purposes.

Benefits for people who are sick or disabled

 

Carpal tunnel syndrome - symptoms, treatment of median nerve damage - Bupa

[alex1640]

Three members of my family have had surgery for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, and in each case they operated on one wrist at a time.

 

The only references I can find to a Government Fund for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome(also known as Vibration White Finger) is in respect of ex-coalminers.

 

"The first scale for assessing the condition was published in 1975- the Taylor-Pelmear scale, but it was not listed as a prescribed disease in the United Kingdom until 1985, and the Stockholm scale introduced in 1987. In 1997 the Miners High Court awarded £127,000 in compensation to seven coal miners for vibration white finger. A UK government fund set up to cover subsequent claims by ex-coalminers had exceeded £100 million in payments by 2004."

 

Depending on your type of work, it may be possible to claim compensation from your employer.

 

You would be entitled to statutory sick pay until you were able to return to work.

I've attached a link for information purposes.

Benefits for people who are sick or disabled

 

Carpal tunnel syndrome - symptoms, treatment of median nerve damage - Bupa

 

 

Sorry to have to correct you but Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is most definatly not Vibration White Finger, VWF also known as Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome cannot be operated on and is extremely painful, It is commonly seen in ex-miners as you so rightly said, but it can be found in any industry that uses percussion Tools.

Sorry if this appears as a jump down you(It's not mean't that way), but I am a sufferer of HaVS(Still quite young @ 37) and have been written off by so many people because of this illness, I will be on strong Painrelief for the rest of my life and nothing can be done, I only wish it was cts as at least there would be a hope!

Sorry, Rant over

[flyingdoc]

To add to what alex says - CTS is most certainly distinct and separate from HAVS/VWF.

However there is divided opinion as to whether CTS can be work related. If you have used the type of percussive tools that can cause hand arm vibration syndrome can cause this condition.

 

If you have used vibrating tools then it may be worth your while contacting a reputable solicitor (make sure they know what they are talking about with havs though - a number of solicitors who claim to be experts are not) for advice.

[shuggler]

Thanks for the comments folks, i have worked in the heavy construction industry for a number of years with lots of different companies as it was usually contract work you just moved around to where the work was so i cant say that it was this company or that one, but they all involved working with drills, grinders, etc. vibration tools. But i have seen in the newspapers, company's that qoute no win no fee service that put the two conditions side by side maybye thats where the confusion comes from, but i dont want to use this sort of service and wondered if anyone has claimed by other means,and possibly give some advice, thank you

[flyingdoc]

When you say you have worked for a number of different companies - how many are we talking?

 

were you classed as Self employed or were you cards in?

 

also with regard to contract - were you working for a single subcontractor?

[enamae]

Sorry to have to correct you but Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is most definatly not Vibration White Finger, VWF also known as Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome cannot be operated on and is extremely painful, It is commonly seen in ex-miners as you so rightly said, but it can be found in any industry that uses percussion Tools.

Sorry if this appears as a jump down you(It's not mean't that way), but I am a sufferer of HaVS(Still quite young @ 37) and have been written off by so many people because of this illness, I will be on strong Painrelief for the rest of my life and nothing can be done, I only wish it was cts as at least there would be a hope!

Sorry, Rant over

 

No problem. I've rechecked my information source and on re-reading it it appears that it could be taken either way, plus one of the sources was in fact a firm of solicitors who worked on a no-win no fee basis..

 

Sorry for any upset this may have caused.

[alex1640]

No problems enamae, I have calmed down now;)

with regards claiming shuggler, make sure you are sure before you start this ball rolling, the reason I say this is that I started a claim 3 years ago and finally at the beginning of this year they settled out of court (They dragged my name through the mud/Lied through their teeth regarding the condition and sent me too 3 specialists and still they sided with me).The final settlement was a 6 figure sum, but it also made the solicitor a tidy sum.

If you go for the No win No Fee types, then go to a reputable one where the fees are claimed in addition to your Settlement.

Hope this is of some help to you.

any more questions then ask away, as I'm glad to help.

[shuggler]

Thanks Alex for taking the time to reply, i have had this condition for over a year now and thought just ignore it but it is getting worse as time goes on, i have to go this week to see the surgeon to arrange for the op, think i will get one hand done to see if its going to work out ok, but i think i will need to contact a solicitor to see what chance i have of a claim, as i plan to return to work if things go ok. As for the contractors i worked for Flyingdoc there were quite a few not just the one contractor on variious contracts, but different contractors for different contracts and they were all books in not self employed, most of the jobs were on petrochemical sites and power stations throughout Scotland and England

[alex1640]

Be very careful that you don't go time out once you are diagnosed.

For Example, once you have on you medical info, record of the Illness then you have started the time running on bringing a case.

your Solicitor will inform you of this.

When you go to see them, be open/honest and straight to the point.

Remember, they will be working for you and need to know everything.

(Medication/Help needed/etc).

[flyingdoc]

thanks for that - the reason I am interested is I am farily au-fait with solicitors criteria for taking on these kinds of cases on a no win no fee basis.

 

One of the things they look for is an easy life - in your working life, of you have worked for 20 companies each for about 1-2 years that means that they have to find a good majority of those companies and if they are no longer trading - find out who their insurers were and then pursue them - solicitors dont like to work that hard.

 

If however you worked for 1 company for 10 years and other companies for lesser times - they may possibly take that on thinking that if they can find this one insurer they have a good chance of recovery.

 

Remember this though. how ever many companies you worked for - if you were exposed to the cause there - they will share your damages.

 

Lets say for instance you worked for 10 companies and your damages is worth 10000 then each company will pay you 1k.

 

the SOLICITOR however gets 100% of his costs no matter how many companies he finds - if he finds 1 then that company pays it all- if he finds 10 they share it.

 

this is worth remembering when looking at accepting an offer - as a lazy solicitor may not make the effort to find all the defendants when it makes not a blind bit of difference to his payout - but can significantly affect yours.

 

With regard to limitation - you have 3 years from the date you first knew you had a significant injury, and that it was work related, TO ISSUE.

 

As Alex said - dont hang around on this- this case, if accepted by a solicitor, may take some investigation so find yourself a good and reputable solicitor soon. (if you go direct and dont use a claims company then dont be put off by the first solicitor saying no - they each have their own favourite cases - try 2 or 3 at least but always big, reputable firms. This is exactly what claims companies do...)

[shuggler]

Thank you very much flying doc for that info will have to think this out very carefully, as i dont want to claim my present employer as they are in a different industry, although i'am still operating vibrating tools its a bit tricky as i still intend to go back to work after surgery, if everything works out after the OP cheers

[shuggler]

Update; Spoke to my consultant today about the op he is going to fix a date jan/feb next year, also asked him when it was first diagnosed and he told me it was 2006, and asked his advice on whether or not this condition was due to the type of work i was doing in the past as i was thinking of persuing a claim, he said that there is no proof that vibrating tools etc would cause this as it is so widespread and not specific to any one task, so now iam wondering if it is worthwhile going ahead with any claim. If anyone on here has had any success in claiming for this condition could you let me know so that i'am not wasting my time in taking it any further, thank you.

[alex1640]

Hi Shuggler,

Just sent you a PM regarding your predicament!!!

[shuggler]

cheers Alex sent you a reoly to your pm

[shuggler]

cheers Alex sent you a reply to your pm