Sometimes being sick is just as serious as being inured – Can I claim for illness caused by my workplace environment?
Being involved in a fall or accident at work can cause physical injuries that may take some time to heal. But there are also a large number of other risks that workers face that can lead to long-term, incurable illness or damage to health.
Repeated exposure to chemicals, loud noises, and even constant vibrations can have a detrimental effect on your health over a period of time and could even make you very sick. If this should happen, and you are faced with a diagnosis of a work-related illness, you may be entitled to claim workers compensation benefits.
What Are the Most Common Types of Occupational Diseases that are claimed for?
Every different kind of working environment has some hazards, but some are more likely to make you sick than others. Therefore, employers must give every worker full training in respect of health and safety and must provide safety apparatus and clothing as and where necessary.
Workers who are engaged in mining, drilling or blasting through the earth can be exposed to harmful dust that can cause disease, including silica. Inhaling silica dust can cause silicosis, a serious, incurable and deadly form of lung disease.
Construction Workers are also at risk of silica exposure when they work with concrete, cement, insulation and drywall products. A variety of chemical fumes from paints and thinners are also hazardous substances that put construction workers at risk of disease. Asbestos is one of the most common dangerous substances that construction workers face, and one that can cause mesothelioma, a deadly cancer.
It is not just pollutants in the air that could make you sick. Workers who are continually exposed to high levels of noise could be at risk of permanent hearing loss and tinnitus. The Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) reports that about 30 million workers in the United States are exposed to harmful noise levels every single year.
Spending much of your working life using pneumatic tools can lead to permanent damage caused by the vibrations in the equipment. Vibration White Finger and Reynaud’s syndrome can be debilitating and are caused by constant vibrations shooting through your hands.
Can I Claim Workers Compensation Insurance for An Illness Caused by Long-Term Exposure to Danger?
A workers’ compensation claim for an occupational disease will only be accepted if the worker and their doctor can prove that the illness or infection was caused as a direct result of their job.
Sometimes this can be difficult to prove, and you will need relevant medical documentation from the doctors who are treating you, and an experienced Workers compensation attorney if the insurer or employer is arguing that your condition is unrelated to your job duties or the environment.
You should also know that Florida Workers Compensation Law requires that all claims for occupational diseases be filed within two years of the doctor’s diagnosis of any disease or impediment to your health.
If you have a right to claim Workers Compensation benefits for an illness caused by your work environment, you must receive a full doctors diagnosis and be ready to fight your case with a good attorney on hand. Remember, that an accident with a visible injury is obvious, but proving that your disease was caused by your job can be more difficult.
If you have been injured or are suffering from poor health because of your working conditions, speak to our friendly and helpful Workers compensation attorney today at (844) 762-8155.
When you hire the Law Offices of Ala Alikhani, P.A. to represent you, we go to extremes to ensure employers and their insurance companies are held accountable and that you receive the benefits you are entitled to by the law.
Were you injured at work? Contact us for a FREE consultation. We are available throughout all times of the day to discuss your case with you. Our office is fluent in Creole and Spanish.
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