Injuries and diseases are not overly common in the workplace, which is a good thing. But they do happen. An illness that develops because of the type of work you are doing, or your working conditions, is known as an occupational disease. The disease must develop due to workplace exposure for it to be classified as an occupational disease. Otherwise, the disease is not occupational and will not be covered by workers’ compensation.
Note: people often confuse occupational disease with an occupational injury, but they are very different. While both occur at the workplace and require workers’ comp benefits, an occupational injury is an accident that results in physical harm whereas occupational disease arises from prolonged exposure causing someone to fall ill.
Types of Occupational Disease
- Lead poisoning
- Radiation Illness
- Skin Diseases
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Chemical Poisoning
- Mesothelioma
- Industrial Dermatitis
- Industrial Asthma
- Neurological Disorders
- Stress related injuries
Most Common Occupational Diseases
Diseases can result from long term exposure to heavy lifting, noisy work setting, repetitive movements, and working with dangerous chemicals— to name a few. The most common diseases that arise from the workplace include:
Occupational Hearing Loss. The most common occupational disease in the US with over 30 million workers exposed to hazardous noise. It doesn’t matter if you are young or old, male or female—any workers exposed to traumatic agent is at risk. Hearing loss is irreversible.
Contact Dermatitis. This is the most significant cause of occupational skin disease. This accounts for around 20% of all reported occupational diseases. It usually results from a toxic reaction to irritants such as solvents. The prognosis for curing allergic dermatitis is extremely poor making prevention the most imperative way to decrease the prevalence.
Asthma and COPD. Both diseases are in the lung airways. Occupational asthma is the most frequent respiratory disease diagnosis.
Georgia Workers’ Compensation
In Georgia, a worker is entitled to the exact same types of benefits as they would receive for a workplace injury. The O.C.G.A. 34-9-281states that workers’ compensation will cover occupational disease if the “…disease arose out of and in the course of the employment in which the employee was engaged under such employer, was contracted while the employee was so engaged, and has resulted from a hazard characteristic of the employment in excess of the hazards of such disease attending employment in general” The claim must be filed within one year after the date the employee knew about the disease. Occupational disease can always be traced back to a work exposure and is something that is produced as part of the worker’s occupation naturally.
If you are suffering from what you believe is an occupational disease you need to contact a workers’ comp lawyer right away. Your lawyer can help you explore a workers’ comp claim for occupational exposure and make sure you receive the benefits you deserve.