Rainbow of chemicals (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Can you catch a Worker’s Comp case? Yes, you can if you are exposed to disease or chemicals through your occupation. Most people would never have thought that this could possibly be the foundation of a Work Comp case: the nurse that contracts Hepatitis C by an accidental needle stick after administering an injection to an ill patient; the shipper who is burned while transporting chemicals that were improperly packed; the worker at the popcorn factory who inhaled the butter flavoring chemicals over the course of many years and developed lung cancer; the flight attendant who contracts tuberculosis through contact with an infected passenger; a teacher that develops respiratory problems after spending time teaching in a school that has high levels of mold.
The difficulty with occupational exposure cases is that it can often be hard to establish a relationship that the event occurred while working and created medical problems. Many illnesses take months if not years to become apparent. This shouldn’t cause any worker to hesitate in proceeding forward with a case. It will mostly likely require the services of a Work Comp attorney to fight on your behalf. The insurer will pull out all the stops to create doubt and turn blame away from the company it protects: How can an affected worker say he developed lung cancer from chemical exposure when he spends time at a smoky bar? Who is to say that a certain disease wasn’t caught in another place like on an employee’s recent vacation abroad? Could the nurse contracted her disease from her own health care providers? The levels that these companies descend to in order to avoid responsibility is indecent in itself!
When it becomes evident to you that an exposure at work has caused damage or disease, it should be reported to your employer as soon as it is known. The next step is to talk to an attorney familiar with the Worker’s Compensation laws in your area.
