Occupational disease can place an employee at serious risk if they discover they have been exposed and fall ill. Medical expenses can add up quickly and may cause financial strain if a worker does not receive benefits through their employer to help cover the cost of treatment. A Colorado employee that believes they have developed an occupational disease while working may have many concerns and questions.
In order to receive workers’ compensation for a work inflicted disease, a person must usually be able to verify they were infected as a result of an experience while on the job. Every state will have specific rules and regulations that make an occupational illness provable and compensable. Generally, a series of tests must be completed, in addition to other screenings, in order for an illness to be considered occupational.
Symptoms of the patient may be reviewed to organize a timeline as well as review of colleagues to verify the potential illness. Workplace hazards may also be investigation to analyze potential risks and dangers. This may be compared to the lifestyle and health of the victim.
An immediate or developed illness may be in connection with the occupation of a victim. This can be through contact with chemicals or an infected person’s bodily fluids, exposure to bacteria or the onset of a cancer or occupational disease from exposure. Some employees in Colorado may not realize they have developed or been exposed to an illness until years after. Many victims may often find themselves looking for legal direction in an attempt to prove liability for their illness.
Source: insurancejournal.com, “Is Ebola Compensable Under Workers’ Compensation?“, Christopher J. Boggs, Oct. 10, 2014