In our area, repetitive strain can show up across a range of roles—warehouse and logistics jobs, manufacturing and assembly work, service positions with repeated arm motions, and even office work where productivity expectations limit recovery. Add commute time and tight schedules, and the “small” daily strain becomes cumulative.
Common Atwater scenarios we see include:
- Extended computer or device use (data entry, scanning, scheduling) with limited microbreaks
- Repetitive lifting or repetitive tool use during production or fulfillment shifts
- Covering staffing gaps—picking up extra tasks or extending the same motions for longer stretches
- Workstations that don’t match your body (desk height, chair support, keyboard/mouse setup), especially when ergonomic adjustments are delayed
When those conditions continue, employers sometimes frame symptoms as “wear and tear.” In a California claim, the question becomes: what work demands contributed, and did the employer respond reasonably once symptoms were reported?


