A customer service representative for a utility company claimed repetitive trauma due to her typing at work. The employer denied the injury was work related. The Arbitrator found that Petitioner’s injuries were related to her work activities and ordered the employer to authorize all recommended treatment, including surgery. On appeal, the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission relied upon cross-examination of Petitioner’s own physician, as well as the opinions of the Section 12 Examiner conducted by Jennifer Barbieri to find that Petitioner failed to meet her burden on accident. The Commission specifically to rule that, based upon the evidence presented, it was “not persuaded that work activities comprised only of substantial typing, using a computer mouse, and using a telephone with a headset significantly contributes to the development or aggravation of CTS”.
