Occupational illnesses are illnesses directly related to the employee's work and work place conditions and are often covered by state worker's compensation systems. Many workplaces are simply ripe for specific illnesses and medical conditions and though they may not cause the condition, they do hasten or worsen its progress in the affected worker.
Take, for instance, stress-related illness. Workers with heart conditions, ulcers, hypertension and the like can suffer greatly in positions with higher than normal stress. Police officers and emergency personnel are presumed to experience much more stress in their positions than the average US worker and, as such, are often eligible for worker's compensation benefits when they suffer stress related illness.
Workers exposed to asbestos and develop mesothelioma are also considered to suffer from occupational illness, typically covered by worker's compensation benefits. Whatever the occupation or the illness, however, it must be clearly demonstrated that the malady stemmed from the work or work environment or that it was worsened by the work environment.
Of course, each case is different and should benefit from the counsel of an experienced worker's compensation attorney. There are instances where products in the workplace cause injury or disease. When workers encounter toxic substances that lead to illness, in addition to a worker's compensation claim, they may be able to file personal injury claims against the manufacturer of the substance or their employer. And compensation may include a variety of damages from lost wages to medical treatment and therapy.
It's extremely important that anyone that believes himself to suffer from occupational illness seek immediate medical treatment. Getting counsel from an experienced worker's compensation attorney like those from the Panio Law Offices is also paramount. They can guide you through the process of filing a worker's compensation claim, negotiate on your behalf and file additional personal injury claims for damages worker's comp does not cover.
If you have any questions about filing a worker's comp claim for occupational illness or any other injury or wish to learn more about the possible personal injury claims you may be able to file in your individual case, call us at (708) 928-8680. We can help.