Feeling under the weather can leave you lax and unproductive at work. A trip to the doctor may have you questioning whether your job is to blame.
While injuries at work seem more cut and dry when it comes to fault and workers’ compensation, some illnesses may also give rise to a claim. To see if your treatment may qualify for benefits, it helps to understand how workers’ comp handles an illness.
What illnesses do work comp carriers cover?
Your job may prove the deciding factor in whether a workers’ comp claim applies to your illness. Since anyone can become ill or develop a chronic condition, the question here remains whether your occupation contributed to that diagnosis or not. Consider some of the more common illnesses.
Pathogen
If you work at a hospital, medical facility or lab, you may become exposed to airborne and blood-born pathogens, which may cause you to fall ill and need treatment. Medical professionals may also need to watch out for unintentional needle sticks, which may lead to catastrophic illnesses.
Heart disease
Heart disease remains one of the most commonly diagnosed medical issues. One of the contributing factors to it is leading a sedentary lifestyle. If your job requires you to sit at a desk or in a car for hours on end, your condition and treatment may fall under workers’ compensation. Heart attacks from exertion at work may also fall under this umbrella.
Cancer
Some job sites or occupations may expose workers to hazardous material. Over time, this may lead to cancer. When your job requires you to work in conditions proven to lead to cancer, workers’ compensation carriers may need to pay for your treatment and care.
Should you fall ill or become injured while working, a workers’ compensation claim may prove beneficial to helping keep you treated and paid.