Types of Injuries
Specific versus repetitive trauma injuries, so-called “Gillette” injuries.
- Specific: injuries caused by a sudden accident. For example a back injury from falling off ladder. The event can be pinpointed to a certain day and time.
- Gillette injury: Gillette V. Harold, Inc., 101 NW 2d 200 (1960). A Gillette injury is caused by repetitive minute trauma which results in disability. For example, carpal tunnel syndrome as a result of typing.
A Gillette injury can be described as a gradual breakdown of a body part or gradual aggravation of a pre-existing condition in the performance of ordinary work activities.
The date of disability resulting from a Gillette injury may be arrived at by considering various ascertainable events, such as a date on which an employee’s job duties are changed to accommodate his work restrictions, a date when surgery is recommended, a date when an employee becomes unable to continue working, or a date on which an employee seeks medical attention.
