How to Tell If an Illness Is Work-Related
Getting sick is a part of life. However, when your illness is linked to your job, it can lead to several questions about whether you can receive benefits for treatment and lost wages.
How can you tell if an illness is work-related? We will look at several factors. Remember that these distinctions can impact everything from workers’ compensation claims to regulatory reporting requirements.
Let’s walk through some indicators and processes that help establish the connection between an occupational illness.
Reporting Obligations and Workers’ Compensation
According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), an illness is considered work-related if an event or exposure in the work environment caused or contributed to the condition, or significantly aggravated a pre-existing one. This definition is broad. However, it is helpful when making a case or filing a claim.
Employers also have responsibilities under OSHA to document and report work-related illnesses. For example, if an employee contracts COVID-19 and it was contracted at work, it may fall under OSHA’s workplace illness rules.
But before it can be deemed as workplace illness, workers’ compensation insurers will look for documentation linking the illness to work conditions. That often includes:
- Medical records
- Incident reports
- Witness statements
- Environmental testing
If you can prove you have a work-related illness, you can qualify for workers’ compensation.
Remember, to be eligible, your illness needs to be tied to your work. This could be caused by chemical exposure, repetitive tasks, or even stress on the job.
The key is to report it early, get checked out by a doctor, and make sure there’s a clear link between your illness and your work environment.
Workers’ comp is there to help you get the care and support you need. You will want to speak up if you think your job is making you sick.
Here are a few ways that you can tell whether your illness is work-related.
Pay Attention to the Timing of Your Symptoms
If you want to see if your illness is work-related, think about when and how your symptoms started. Any symptoms during your shift, shortly after a specific task, or within a few hours of exposure to a workplace condition should be noted.
For example, if you work around industrial solvents and start experiencing headaches or skin irritation halfway through your workday, that timing matters. Also, if symptoms flare up consistently at work and improve when you are off duty, that could point to a workplace connection.
Look at Your Workplace Exposures
Certain jobs have known risks. If your job involves exposure to chemicals, dust, mold, loud noise, or repetitive physical tasks, you may be at higher risk of developing a condition linked to those hazards.
Some occupational illnesses tied to specific industries include:
- Respiratory conditions in construction or manufacturing, such as silicosis or asbestosis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome in administrative or assembly line jobs
- Skin conditions in janitorial or laboratory workers exposed to cleaning agents or chemicals
If your workplace has any of these hazards or other coworkers have experienced similar symptoms or diagnoses, that could be a telling pattern.
Consult an Occupational Health Medical Professional
Before you can confirm whether an illness is job-related, you need an evaluation from a medical provider. They can help determine whether your symptoms are consistent with known workplace illnesses. Plus, they can tell if your work environment could be a contributing factor.
Employers or insurance carriers may sometimes recommend a specific occupational doctor for workers’ compensation evaluations. While this can be useful, you may want to get a second opinion if you are not confident in the first provider’s diagnosis.
Rule Out Personal Causes
Before you say that your condition is work-related, you must eliminate other likely causes. If you have not recently traveled, changed your diet, or been around someone ill, the workplace may be a likely source.
Keep in mind that the connection is not always clear. Sometimes, personal and occupational factors combine. For instance, someone with a mild pre-existing back condition might suffer a serious flare-up after a strenuous day of lifting heavy items at work.
In cases like this, OSHA and most workers’ compensation systems consider the illness work-related if the workplace exposure significantly aggravated the pre-existing condition.
Start the Process to Get Your Benefits
If you suspect your illness may be related to your job, start documenting immediately. You will want to keep a log of your symptoms, work tasks, hours, and any exposure to unusual substances or environments. Along with that, you may want to notify your employer in writing and request that the issue be formally reviewed or reported.
If you are unsure whether you have a work-related illness, make sure to consult with a legal advisor who understands occupational health and workers’ compensation laws.
At Work Injury Advisor, we can help point you in the right direction.
