Workers' compensation not only covers workers who have become injured at work but also those who have fallen ill and their illness can be connected to their employment. There are various diseases that could be seen as being directly related to a job such as a contagious virus or cancer that develops as a result of exposure to carcinogens at work. However, the most difficult part of receiving compensation for an illness is to prove that your illness was caused by your time at work.

Filing a Workers' Compensation Claim

When you believe that your illness is work-related, it's important to inform your employer. They should then file a claim with their workers' compensation insurance provider and you should then be reimbursed for medical expenses related to your medical treatments and lost wages. 

It's important to make a claim as soon as you can. This will allow you to avoid letting the statute of limitations run out and you will also be able to act quickly to preserve the evidence needed to receive compensation. 

Receiving Your Reply

After submitting your claim, you will then receive a letter that will inform you of whether your claim was accepted. If your claim was denied, you will then have the right to appeal it. Sometimes, due to the nature of the disease, it's considered to be common for workers in your industry to contract a particular disease. For example, it's common for miners to develop black lung disease.

However, in other cases, a workers' compensation insurance provider might argue that you became ill as a result of some other factor outside of work or that your workplace could not have caused you to contract that illness. If this is the case, you may need help from a workers' compensation lawyer to be able to gather the evidence necessary to prove that your illness is work-related. 

Working with an Attorney

Your attorney will consult with an expert witness who might be an expert on the illness that you are suffering from. Your attorney may need to gather evidence from your workplace to prove that you were exposed to an infectious disease.

Once you are able to prove that you became ill as a result of your exposure to pathogens at work, you should be able to file a successful appeal. Workers' compensation insurance is a no-fault system and you do not have to prove that your employer was negligent.  

For more information, contact a local workers' compensation attorney.