Many workplace injuries occur from one single incident — a fall due to a scaffolding collapse, a vehicle wreck while traveling on the job, or an equipment malfunction causing the loss of a limb, to name a few examples. These incidents are easily identifiable as the cause of a worker’s injury and leave less room for debate when determining workers’ compensation benefits.
However, a great number of workplace injuries occur in a much more subtle manner, leaving victims with nagging injuries that often morph into crippling disabilities. These injuries prevent workers from performing their jobs and result in a significant loss in quality of life. These “long-term” injuries and illnesses can be just as harmful as those suffered from a single incident but, since the causes are much more difficult to identify, workers might find that employers and insurance companies balk at giving them adequate compensation for these terrible injuries.
Types of Long-Term Workplace Illness and Injury
Some airborne irritants aggregate slowly, manifesting as illnesses only over the course of time. Similarly, other injuries are caused by a lifetime of repetitive stress.
If you’ve acquired an illness because of something you’ve inhaled over a long period of time in your workplace, or are in constant physical pain due to a repetitive job duty, you may be eligible for a comprehensive benefits package through workers’ compensation. At Tucker Lawyers PC, we’ve handled a wide array of long-term illnesses and conditions, spread across a great number of occupations.
We’ve seen:
- Office workers with Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Cement truck drivers with cement burn
- Construction site workers with Mesothelioma
- Demolition workers with hearing or vision loss
- Excavation or trench workers with Silicosis
- Assembly line workers with repetitive stress injuries
- Building inspectors with asbestos exposure
- Roadside construction workers with chronic back pain
- Chemical exposure to nail salon workers.
Ask Yourself the Following Questions…
If you believe that your long-term injuries are the result of your job responsibilities, ask yourself:
- Were you given safety training to avoid these injuries and illnesses?
- Did your employer inform you of the risks involved in your job?
- Were you provided with safety materials that might have helped prevent these injuries?
- If you were exposed to hazardous chemicals, were those chemicals clearly labeled as being hazardous?
- Did your employers perform workplace inspections to determine whether you were at risk for exposure to unsafe toxins?
- Were precautions and lists of potential hazards clearly posted in your workplace where they were visible to workers?
Worker safety is a chief responsibility for all employers. This means they have an obligation to train employees about workplace safety, provide them safety gear (if applicable), inform them of all the dangers they might be facing on the job and inspect the workplace for hazards. Employers must also provide compensation to workers who have suffered injuries due to a hazardous work environment.
How a Workplace Injury Attorney Can Help
Since these injuries don’t emerge after one dramatic incident, it’s often hard to accurately pinpoint their origins. At Tucker Lawyers PC, we’ve handled enough cases to know that despite being hard to prove, these conditions often originate at work. However, your employer, insurance companies, and the New York State Workers’ Compensation Board may try to prove just the opposite.
You may find it extremely advantageous to seek legal counsel who knows the danger of long-term occupational disease. The skilled workers’ compensation attorneys at Tucker Lawyers PC know how to best advocate your claim and prove your case. In your time of need, you deserve a team of professionals that will enforce your rights to the full extent of the law.
Contact Us
There are countless ways that a job can cause a serious and debilitating condition. At Tucker Lawyers PC, we believe you should receive medical attention and financial compensation if your job duties or work environment have led to injury or sickness. Call us today for a free consultation, and remember — if we can’t win your case, there is no fee for our services.
Managing Attorney John. J. Tucker, Esq.
John has personally handled thousands of clients who were victims of another’s negligence and fights relentlessly for their rights. John enjoys bringing closure to a client’s matter so that the injured party can move forward with their life. His background enables him to evaluate complex liability related claims and bring resolution to claims in a record time frame. [ Attorney Bio ]