Keyboard Workers Get Nearly $6 Million

In the first verdict of its kind, a federal jury ordered computer maker Digital Equipment Co. to pay nearly $6 million to three women who suffered disabling arm and wrist injuries they blamed on their keyboards.

The verdict was returned last week in federal court in Brooklyn.

Patricia Geressy, a secretary at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, won nearly $5.4 million; Jill Jackson, a legal secretary, was awarded $306,000; and Janet Rotolo, a hospital billing clerk, was awarded $278,000.

The women worked on keyboards that Digital knew could result in carpal tunnel syndrome and other repetitive stress injuries, said their lawyer, Steven Philips.

Digital said it would appeal if the judge doesn’t agree to set aside the jury awards.

In a statement, Digital also said there was “no scientific evidence that keyboards cause” such disorders and that its products “are safe and conform to all applicable industry standards.”

Despite a rising number of complaints from office workers, no computer maker has ever been ordered to pay damages for injuries blamed on keyboard design.