Qualifying Medical Conditions for Workers’ Compensation in Greenville
Injuries incurred by Greenville employees seeking workers’ compensation benefits run from mild to severe, but certain injuries and occupational diseases occur more often in particular industries than others. What they all have in common, though, is that they happen to a worker while on the job. If you have suffered one of the qualifying medical conditions for workers’ compensation in Greenville, a seasoned workers’ compensation lawyer could work hard to ensure you receive the compensation you deserve.
Common Job-Related Injuries
Many of the most common job-related injuries happen because a worker trips, slips, or falls. Other common workplace injuries stem from accidents involving machinery, chemical exposure, or the use of some type of motor vehicle while on the job. The consequences of such accidents may keep an employee out of work for a few weeks or for the rest of their life. Qualifying medical conditions for workers’ compensation in Greenville include:
- Broken bones
- Brain injuries
- Burns
- Head trauma
- Spinal injuries
- Soft tissue injuries
- Torn rotator cuffs
Occupational Diseases
While most workers’ compensation plans are typically used to cover injuries, they may also incorporate coverage for occupational diseases. These kinds of diseases are considered an occupational hazard of a particular job, and symptoms may not appear for many years.
Under North Carolina General Statutes §97-53, 28 different occupation diseases can be covered by workers’ compensation. Examples of these occupational diseases, as specified by the terms of the aforementioned statute, include:
- Blisters due to use of tools or appliances in the employment
- Bursitis due to intermittent pressure in the employment
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Certain cancers
- Chrome ulceration
- Hearing loss
- Mesothelioma
- Miner’s nystagmus
- Psittacosis
- Various types of poisoning
- Undulant fever
Compensation for Occupational Diseases
A worker diagnosed with an occupational disease may receive compensation if they had a greater risk of contracting the disease than someone who did not hold their type of job in their industry, and actual working conditions played a part in the individual’s development of the disease. However, they must file a claim for workers’ compensation within two years of diagnosis of the disease.
Even if a worker is diagnosed with a disease that the state Workers’ Compensation Act does not explicitly name, they may still qualify for benefits. North Carolina recognizes that some diseases are due to causes and conditions which are characteristic of and peculiar to a particular trade, occupation, or employment.
Pre-Existing Conditions
Some workers and employers may assume that workers’ compensation does not cover pre-existing conditions, but that is not necessarily true. If an employee can prove that their job exacerbated a pre-existing condition, such as a bad back, they may receive compensation even though the work they were engaged in did not cause their original injury.
How a Greenville Workers’ Compensation Attorney Could Help
Many workers’ compensation claims are relatively straightforward: if you are hurt at work due to a common condition and follow correct procedures for applying for workers’ compensation benefits, you receive them. However, sometimes employees have a much harder time proving their diagnosis was work-related, especially if it involves a pre-existing condition or occupational illness.
A workers’ compensation attorney could fight aggressively for your rights so that you could receive the benefits and medical care you need. If you or a loved one suffered a serious injury on the job, you may need the services of a skilled lawyer who is knowledgeable about the qualifying medical conditions for workers’ compensation in Greenville. Call today to arrange a free initial consultation in which a dedicated local attorney could review your case and advise you of your options.
