Common Types of Occupational Illnesses

At Silverman, McDonald & Friedman, our workers’ compensation lawyers have the experience and resources to help employees get the benefits they deserve. We work with physicians in different disciplines to properly diagnose your medical condition and to show the connect to your work. Contact us in Wilmington, Seaford or Newark today.

Workers in Delaware are entitled to claim workers’ compensation for two reasons. The first is that they had a workplace accident which caused their injuries. The second is because they suffered an occupational illness that was work-related.

Occupational illnesses usually occur over a long period of time. The employee must be able to show the illness was unique to workplace conditions or was made worse by workplace conditions. The illness should be caused by workplace conditions that are “peculiar to a particular job” and the disease or illness should be a common illness that members of the general public would not likely develop.

Examples of occupational illnesses

Each type of workplace illness should be reviewed with an experienced Delaware workers’ compensation lawyer who will work with your treating doctors and any other relevant physicians. Workers who develop the following diseases or disorders may have a strong occupational illness claim:

• Disorders of the skin. Many workers are exposed to chemicals and hazards at work that don’t exist in the home or in other public or private locations. Skin illnesses that justify seeking workers’ compensation benefits include:
  • Rashes
  • Skin cancer
  • Infections
  • Ezcema
  • Dermatitis
  • Inflammation of the skin
  • Allergies
• Respiratory diseases. Workers often have medical disorders due to breathing toxins and hazardous chemicals at work. Construction workers and workers at manufacturing sites often run the risk of developing respiratory illnesses. Some of the medical difficulties associated with respiratory illnesses are:
  • Cancer
  • Damage to the lung
  • Scar tissue
  • Asthma
  • Mesothelioma
  • Tuberculosis
  • COPD (Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
  • Death
• Loss of hearing. Construction workers who regularly work near loud equipment such as jackhammers can lose their hearing over time. Workers at airports can lose their hearing due to the roar of the engines. Even musicians can lose their hearing over time. Hearing loss is often gradual. Some workers can function with some hearing loss. Many workers who lose their hearing need to learn how to function with the inability to hear. Some workers are never able to return to work.

Other types of occupational illnesses include hernias, joint damage, and arthritis due to overexertion. Repetitive stress injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome may also be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits based on an occupational illness – depending on current Delaware law.

We work with dermatologists, oncologists, allergists, respiratory doctors, and other specialists to verify your medical disorder and to show you are unable to work.

Make the call to an experienced Delaware work injury lawyer as soon as possible

To speak with an aggressive Wilmington, Newark, or Seaford workers’ compensation lawyer, please call us at 302-888-2900 or complete our contact form to schedule a consultation.