A loss of productivity keeps New Jersey employers interested in the health of employees. A workplace flu outbreak can decrease the supply of products or services to customers. Ultimately, an unhealthy workforce can eat into a company’s profits.
The flu is an illness that can be picked up through contact with anyone at work, at home or in public. Some illnesses or aggravations of medical conditions can be traced to unsafe job environments. Job-related illnesses made up more than 5 percent of 3 million occupational conditions that harmed employees in 2012, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.
The health problems developed as a result of on-the-job conditions. In some cases, a work environment made employees with pre-existing medical issues worse. Workers’ compensation benefits are paid to employees who suffer these problems, as long as insurance claims justify the relationship between an unhealthy job environment and an illness or disease.
This is where a workers’ compensation attorney’s guidance and advice can be very useful. Benefits for healthcare costs and wage losses are not guaranteed unless an occupational medical condition is linked to a victim’s work. An attorney can help establish proof of the connection between a health problem and a job.
Injured and ill workers must file benefit claims, according to specific workers’ compensation rules and in a timely manner. A worker’s condition or lack of knowledge can delay or prevent claim approval. Attorneys seek maximum compensation, which may include additional Workers Compensation benefits or damages from negligent third parties.
Repetitive physical motions at work may contribute to back problems or carpal tunnel syndrome. Exposure to excessive noise may cause hearing loss. Environmental pollutants in the work environment can provoke allergy or asthma attacks or worse, cause life-threatening illnesses or lung diseases like asbestosis or mesothelioma.
The claims process entails more than reporting an occupational illness. Compensation is dependent upon proof of an on-the-job injury.