Workplace Acquired Illness Lawyer in Pittsburgh, PA
Jobs can be demanding in different ways, each one presenting its own work environment and required routine tasks. What happens when these environments and tasks create new health concerns or aggravate pre-existing ones? Work-related illnesses can affect the quality of your life, sometimes resulting in medical bills and lost wages. If believe you have a new or worsening health condition due to your job, you may be entitled to benefits or compensation.
There are time limits to file a claim, so don't delay! Call us today for a free consultation at 412-394-1000.
What is a Work-Related Illness?
A work-related illness or occupational disease is a health condition that is directly connected to the workplace. If you have developed a new health issue or experienced worsening symptoms of a pre-existing condition due to your work environment or job, you may be entitled to certain benefits. Employees may also receive benefits if they contract a communicable disease at work, like hepatitis A. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) creates guidelines which mandate that employers provide their employees with a safe and healthy workspace. When employers violate or neglect these guidelines, it can expose employees to a variety of health risks.
If you're seeking legal advice for a work-related illness or injury, you should contact a qualified workers' compensation lawyer. The legal team at Edgar Snyder & Associates can fight for your rights. We take care of all the confusing legal details, and we'll explain it all to you without the technical language. Call us today for a free consultation at 412-394-1000.
What Are the Types of Occupational Diseases?
Types of occupational diseases include:
- Hearing loss
- Skin conditions, such as hives, eczema, or skin cancer
- Repetitive work injuries, such as carpal tunnel or tendinitis
- Respiratory diseases, such as black lung, asbestosis, asthma, or lung disease
- Communicable diseases
- Lead poisoning
- Computer vision
Employers can be held responsible for any developing or worsening medical conditions directly connected to the workplace, but you must prove a direct link between the illness and your occupation.
Edgar Snyder & Associates will help prove that link by collecting expert witnesses, medical records, and more. Our firm has been named a Best Law Firm in America ®, and we have the expertise and resources needed to be successful on workers' comp cases. We'll go up against your employer's insurance company to help you get the benefits you deserve so you can focus on your health.
Does Workers' Comp Cover Illness?
Workers' compensation does cover illness, but a workplace-caused illness can be harder to prove than an injury claim. It is important that your attorney proves a direct link between your medical condition and your occupation. This means that there should be a higher percentage of people within a given occupation who have the illness than there are in the total population.
In addition, you must contact your employer as soon as you believe you have a work-related disease. Diseases can take years to develop, and even if you are not diagnosed with a work-related illness until years after contracting the illness, you may still be eligible for workers' compensation.
If you have a developing or worsening medical condition that could be work-related, you should notify your employer and seek medical attention. You should also contact a qualified attorney to discuss your benefits or settlement options. Our law firm has an entire team dedicated exclusively to workers' compensation, including attorneys certified in workers' compensation law.
At Edgar Snyder & Associates, we're in your corner, ready to fight for the compensation you deserve. Call us today for a free consultation at 412-394-1000.
And remember, there's never a fee unless—or until—we get money for you!