THIS popular weekly column deals with welfare rights issues of interest to people living in Wirral.

This week's topic is the Industrial Injuries Scheme, specifically Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

IS EVERYBODY COVERED?

If you are an employee and suffer from an accident at work after 4/7/48 or you suffer from an industrial disease, although many were not registered until later than this date, you may be covered by the scheme. You must have been working for an employer. However, it does not matter if you were earning enough to pay tax or National Insurance, you are still covered.

ACTION AFTER AN ACCIDENT

As soon as you can after an accident at work, report it to your employer. By law, if there are more than 10 people working for a company, an accident book must be kept. It does not matter how trivial you think the accident is. For instance, a pain in the stomach may become a hernia. If in any doubt register the accident anyway. If you have to have time off as a result of the accident, claim benefit right away.

CARPAL TUNNEL SYNDROME

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome is described by the DSS simply as that. The occupations which give rise to causing it are described as the use of hand-held powered tools whose internal parts vibrate so as to transmit that vibration to the hand, but excluding those which are solely powered by hand.

Definition:- A nerve disorder in the hand that causes pain and loss of feeling, especially in the first three fingers and the thumb.

Body parts involved:- Median nerve at the wrist joint, blood vessels, nerves and hand tendons.

Signs and symptoms:- Tingling or numbness in part of the hand, sharp pains that shoot from the wrist up the arm, especially at night. Burning sensations in the fingers, thumb weakness, frequent dropping of objects, inability to make a fist and shiny, dry skin on the hand.

MEDICATION

The doctor may prescribe diuretics to decrease the fluid retention that causes swollen tissue or anti inflammatory drugs to reduce inflammation or cortisone injections at the wrist to reduce inflammation. Many people are advised to wear splints on the wrist and arm at night.

DSS ADVICE

The onus is on you to claim for an industrial disease, so if you believe that any condition you have may be work related, ask the DSS and your doctor for advice. Get the DSS response in writing as the rules on backdating have been changed, so you will lose money. Read DSS Leaflet No 12 to get a full list of the occupations. Only if you have the condition and have worked in one of the jobs described will you be able to make a successful claim. But it is a minefield to tread through and it's important to take advice as soon as you can.

JIM STRANG COMMENTS

If you need to know more about this article, then you can write to Jim Strang c/o S & J Property Management Ltd., 81 Duke Street, Birkenhead. Don't forget to include an SAE for the reply.

If you wish him to act on your behalf, then you can contact me on 652-8600 at the same address between 10am and 4pm, Mon-Fri.

Readers are advised that Jim Strang represents clients on a 'no win, no fee' basis. Details are available from him.

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