Repetitive Strain Injury Claims

Repetitive strain injuries can creep up slowly—stiff hands, aching wrists, or persistent shoulder pain that just won’t ease. You might brush it off at first, thinking it’s part of the job. But when the pain starts interfering with your work or day-to-day life, it’s time to take it seriously—and that’s where we come in.

At John O’Leary Solicitors LLP, we’ve been helping people across Tallaght and Dublin for over 20 years. We’re not a remote office or a faceless firm. We’re part of the local community, and when you come to us, you’ll deal directly with an experienced solicitor who listens, explains things clearly, and stands with you every step of the way.

Our team has guided countless clients through personal injury claims with care, patience, and solid legal expertise. We understand the impact a repetitive strain injury can have—whether you work on a building site, in an office, or behind a shop counter. If your injury could have been prevented with better equipment, training, or support, you may have grounds to bring a claim.

You don’t need to face it alone. Contact John O’Leary Solicitors LLP today and speak directly with a solicitor who genuinely cares. We’ll help you understand your rights and guide you forward—clearly, calmly, and with your best interests at heart.

What Counts as a Repetitive Strain Injury?

Repetitive strain injuries (RSIs) can develop slowly over time, often starting as a mild ache or stiffness that’s easy to ignore. But left unchecked, they can become chronic conditions that affect your ability to work, sleep, or even perform simple everyday tasks. At their core, RSIs are soft tissue injuries—affecting muscles, tendons, and nerves—caused by repetitive movement, poor posture, awkward positioning, or constant overuse of the same part of the body.

Many people aren’t aware they’re suffering from an RSI until the discomfort becomes more persistent or starts interfering with their work. It’s not always a dramatic injury—it can begin with something as small as tingling fingers after a shift or stiffness in your shoulders when you get home in the evening. Over time, that discomfort can turn into lasting damage.

There are two main categories of RSI:

Type 1 RSI

This refers to conditions that have a clear medical diagnosis. These include things like:

  • Carpal tunnel syndrome, where the nerve in your wrist becomes compressed
  • Tendonitis, an inflammation of tendons, often in the elbow or shoulder
  • Ganglion cysts, which appear near joints like the wrist
  • Tennis elbow or golfer’s elbow, both caused by repetitive arm and wrist movement

These types of RSI can usually be identified through scans or clinical examination.

Type 2 RSI

This category includes injuries that don’t show up clearly on scans or tests, but still involve real and often debilitating symptoms. This might be:

  • Ongoing pain, numbness, or tingling
  • Weakness in the affected area
  • Pain that moves or fluctuates throughout the day

Though harder to pin down with a single diagnosis, Type 2 RSIs are no less serious and are recognised under Irish personal injury law when connected to workplace duties.

The important thing to remember is this: even if your symptoms come and go, or seem mild at first, they can be the early signs of a work-related injury. And if your job caused or worsened your condition, there may be grounds for a claim.

How RSI Develops at Work

Repetitive strain injuries don’t happen overnight. They build up slowly, often in jobs where the same movement is repeated again and again, or where poor posture becomes part of the daily routine. These injuries can affect anyone—from those working behind a desk to tradespeople using vibrating tools or retail staff at a checkout. The common thread is repetition, overuse, and inadequate support.

Understanding how these injuries arise in Irish workplaces helps clarify when an employer may be at fault—and whether your condition might be connected to your job.

Office-Based Roles

Office work might seem low-risk, but it’s one of the most common settings for RSI. The culprits?

  • Poor desk setup: monitors too high or low, unsupportive chairs, keyboards at the wrong height
  • Extended typing or mouse usewithout breaks, leading to wrist, elbow or shoulder pain
  • Cradling phones between shoulder and ear, often for hours
  • Poor posture over time, especially when working from home without proper ergonomic furniture

What starts as a stiff neck or occasional wrist ache can turn into persistent pain and nerve damage.

Factory and Manufacturing Work

Assembly line work or warehouse roles often involve:

  • Repetitive lifting, pulling or pushing
  • Handling heavy items without proper equipment
  • Repetitive hand toolslike scanning guns or fasteners
  • Fast-paced environmentsthat discourage adequate rest or rotation between tasks

These roles place constant strain on joints, tendons, and muscles—especially when breaks are limited or tasks aren’t shared out evenly.

Retail, Hospitality and Cleaning

Staff in these sectors often suffer from RSIs due to:

  • Repeated scanning or packagingat tills
  • Lifting stockor kitchen items without support
  • Frequent bending and stretching, often in confined spaces
  • Mopping, polishing, or scrubbingfor prolonged periods
  • Carrying heavy traysor restocking shelves
     Many of these roles also involve prolonged standing or awkward postures that contribute to fatigue and strain.

Construction, Trades and Outdoor Work

High-risk tasks in this category include:

  • Use of vibrating toolslike jackhammers, grinders, drills
  • Overhead worksuch as plastering or electrical wiring
  • Hammering or screwingat awkward angles
  • Carrying materials repeatedly, such as bricks, pipes or panels
  • Lack of ergonomic supports, especially on smaller sites

When vibration injuries or tendon strain set in, workers may lose grip strength, sensitivity in their hands, or suffer shooting pains through the arms and shoulders.

No matter the setting, the cause is often the same: a lack of proper training, unsafe equipment, unrealistic workload, or failure to rotate staff or allow rest. When this happens, the risk of RSI increases dramatically—and your employer may be held legally accountable for not reducing that risk.

The Employer’s Legal Responsibility in Preventing RSI

Employers in Ireland are legally required to provide a safe working environment—including taking active steps to prevent repetitive strain injuries. This duty of care isn’t just good practice. It’s a legal obligation under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005, which covers everything from training to equipment to daily workload management.

When it comes to repetitive strain injuries, prevention depends on foresight. Employers must understand the risks associated with particular tasks and put safeguards in place long before someone is hurt.

Important Duties Under Irish Law

To minimise the risk of RSI, an employer should:

  • Conduct regular risk assessments, especially for roles that involve repetitive tasks, vibration exposure, or awkward posture
  • Provide appropriate tools and equipment, such as ergonomic chairs, adjustable desks, anti-vibration gloves, or power-assisted lifting devices
  • Offer task rotation, to prevent any one employee from doing the same movement continuously
  • Ensure adequate rest breaks, especially for computer work or tasks requiring high levels of repetition or precision
  • Provide trainingon proper posture, tool use, and RSI symptom recognition
  • Respond to early reportsof discomfort or fatigue, and act on them promptly
  • Monitor workloads, ensuring staff aren’t under pressure to skip breaks or cut corners

These obligations apply across all industries—from construction to admin, retail to healthcare.

What Failing to Act Looks Like

Many workers who come to us describe similar failings. For example:

  • Being expected to complete repetitive manual tasks without being shown safe technique
  • Sitting in the same posture for hours, without a break or ergonomic equipment
  • Using vibrating tools with no protective gear, or being told to keep going despite discomfort
  • Reporting symptoms to a manager but being told to “work through it”
  • Being given one generic manual handling course years ago—but no practical training for the actual tasks performed daily

When an employer ignores or downplays these risks, it may amount to negligence—particularly if other workers have reported similar issues or the hazard was long-standing.

Why These Standards Matter

RSIs often worsen over time. What begins as a small ache or numbness can become a condition that limits mobility, requires surgery, or prevents someone from continuing in their role. Employers are in the best position to prevent these outcomes by investing early in safety and ergonomics.

When they don’t, and an employee is harmed as a result, the law recognises this as a breach of duty—and the worker has the right to seek compensation.

What You Should Do If You Suspect an RSI

If you’ve started to notice persistent aches, numbness, or tingling during or after work—especially in your hands, wrists, arms, neck or shoulders—it’s important to take it seriously. Repetitive strain injuries don’t resolve themselves. The earlier you act, the better your chance of recovery and protecting your legal position.

Here’s what you should do if you think your work has caused or worsened an RSI:

1. See a GP or Specialist Immediately

Book a medical appointment to have your symptoms formally assessed. Be clear about the type of work you do, how long the symptoms have been going on, and when they worsen. Early diagnosis helps prevent long-term damage—and ensures your medical records reflect the injury’s work-related nature.

2. Inform Your Employer in Writing

Notify your manager or HR in writing that you’re experiencing symptoms of RSI and believe your work may be contributing. Keep a copy. This formal notification creates a record and places a duty on your employer to respond or take preventative action.

3. Keep a Daily Symptom Log

Track what activities trigger or worsen your pain, how long symptoms last, and how they impact your work or daily life. This can support your medical treatment and help show a link between your duties and the injury.

4. Photograph Your Work Environment

If relevant, take photos of your workstation, tools, posture, or equipment. This helps illustrate your working conditions—especially if they involve poor ergonomics or prolonged tool use.

5. Hold On to Relevant Records

Keep copies of medical notes, prescriptions, physio referrals, sick leave records, and any costs you incur. If your employer has risk assessments or training logs, request copies. You don’t need to have all the answers before getting legal advice. Speaking to a solicitor early on helps you understand your rights and decide if a claim is worth pursuing—without committing to anything straight away.

Proving Your RSI Was Caused by Work

One of the more challenging aspects of an RSI claim is establishing that your injury wasn’t random or lifestyle-related—but caused or made worse by your job. Thankfully, Irish personal injury law recognises that RSIs often develop gradually. With the right documentation, you can build a strong case.

The most important element is a clear medical link between your symptoms and the nature of your work. This starts with a GP or specialist who understands your condition and how it might relate to repetitive tasks, awkward posture, or tool use.

Beyond your medical records, the following can also support your claim:

  • Workplace records showing your duties, hours, and equipment used
  • Risk assessments (or the lack of them)
  • Training logs, especially if RSI prevention was never covered
  • Photos or videos of your working conditions
  • Witness statements from colleagues who performed the same tasks or shared similar complaints

In many cases, symptoms appear months or even years before someone takes action. That doesn’t weaken your claim—but it does make early advice critical. A solicitor can help connect the dots and ensure your evidence meets the standard for compensation.

How Long You Have to Make a Claim

In Ireland, you generally have two years from the date you first became aware that your repetitive strain injury may be work-related. This may not be the date your symptoms first started, but rather when a medical diagnosis or clear connection to work was made.

Acting early protects your rights and gives your solicitor time to gather workplace evidence, obtain medical opinions, and prepare your case properly. If you’re unsure when your time limit began, don’t wait to find out—speak with a solicitor as soon as possible to clarify your position and protect your chance to claim.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I claim for RSI if I didn’t report it straight away?

Yes, you may still be eligible. RSIs often develop gradually, and many people don’t realise the extent of the damage until it worsens. As long as you act within two years from when you first linked your symptoms to your job, your claim can still proceed.

What if my job involves multiple repetitive tasks—how do I prove the cause?

You don’t need to isolate a single movement. If your role involved several repetitive actions over time, we help demonstrate how the overall working environment contributed to your injury. Medical records, workstation photos, and witness accounts all support the link.

I’ve been given basic manual handling training—does that protect my employer?

Not necessarily. Generic training doesn’t always cover the specific risks in your job. If you weren’t shown how to perform your actual duties safely, or your employer failed to follow up on complaints, they may still be liable under Irish workplace safety law.

I work in an office—can I still make an RSI claim?

Absolutely. Office-related RSIs are common, particularly from long-term keyboard use, poor seating, and bad desk ergonomics. If your employer failed to provide a safe workstation setup or ignored concerns about discomfort, a claim may be valid.

My symptoms come and go. Can I still bring a claim?

Yes. Fluctuating symptoms are common in RSI cases. What matters is whether your job contributed to the condition, not whether the pain is constant. Keeping a symptom diary can help establish a clear pattern linked to your work duties.

What if I’ve changed jobs since my symptoms began?

You can still bring a claim against a former employer if your condition was caused—or worsened—while you worked there. As long as you’re within the two-year time limit from when you connected the symptoms to that job, your claim can proceed.

Does RSI qualify for claim support even if I wasn’t using heavy tools?

Yes. Repetition and posture are often more damaging than weight. Light tools or data-entry tasks can still lead to serious RSIs. The law recognises a wide range of work-related strain injuries—not just those involving heavy lifting or equipment.

Will I need a medical expert to confirm my condition?

In most cases, yes. Your solicitor will arrange for an independent medical report to support your claim. This helps document the injury’s severity, link it to your job, and determine the likely long-term impact on your health and work.

Speak with a Local Solicitor Who Knows RSI and Workplace Law

If you believe your work has caused or worsened a repetitive strain injury, speak to John O’Leary Solicitors LLP today. We’re based in Tallaght, know the local workplaces, and you’ll deal directly with a solicitor who’ll take the time to help you move forward.