Posted By CFT C Two years on, I see little to suggest a real link between one isolated event which can, in certain circumstances (all be it rare) bring on lateral epicondylitis but more usually a gradual build up. Training would have been an issue some two years ago which one assumes was conducted? But to be absolutely fair the 3 days is so late in the day to compare to the incident which (allegedly) was the actual cause, it would (IMO) be a total waste of time to all concerned. You should have notified insurers though some time ago to satisfy them of any future claim that may be made against you. To summarize then, it is not an injury, (the 3 day absence), it is certainly not a reportable disease, so apart from a documented report taken at the time and further notations for the benefit of the insurers, there is little else to do. I would be interested to know what weights and stability of loads were lifted/moved etc from a MH point, and what training you gave the individual; I suspect, and this is a guess, that the condition existed within the operative, and the MH activity that you described 'probably' was the final straw. Did the operative report the possibility of this condition to you or mention he had received earlier treatment? CFT

Posted By Mike Miller Hi C in my opinion the medical assessment is suspect and it may be necessary for your company to have an independent medical assessment carried out on the IP. As an ex joiner and sufferer of tennis elbow, 'mine being roof and floor bashing for 15 years in all conditions' I can confirm that this condition is gradual and long term but can be alleviated after many years of rest. however it can also be aggravated at anytime by similar types of work but the condition subsides again quickly. initially it took me 2 years of medical and legal argument to have this diagnosed properly so it cannot be diagnosed overnight! May I suggest a check of IP prior employment medical records as I feel the IP may have had many years previous exposure. its worth spending the time if you feel a claim may be pending. If you need any further info regarding likely hood of claim success and DDA please email me direct as I have the T shirt and the DVD! Regards Mike

Posted By Kevin Brown Tennis elbow can develop over time but can also be caused by trauma. Apparently the common name for lateral epicondylitis arises from the fact that it's often caused by playing too much tennis when you've not played for some time. (It is especially likely if you have a poor backhand technique or use a racquet with a grip that is too large).The root of the problem is damage to a tendon. Now,coming relatively recently to the arcane delights of RIDDOR, I've been provided with a copy of F2508A, which has a list of reportable diseases from the schedule 3 of the Regs. One of those on the list is traumatic inflammation of the tendons of the hand or forearm etc. This would tend to indicate that I and my colleagues may be under-reporting WRULD. On balance I think I'd report everything where the work activity could cause or aggravate the condition.