Can I Get Workers’ Comp for Asthma in Ohio?

If your asthma was caused or aggravated by your working conditions, you may be able to obtain workers’ compensation benefits. Whether or not you get workers’ comp for asthma in Ohio depends heavily on your particular situation. When Kademenos, Wisehart, Hines, Dolyk & Wright Co. LPA, accept a workers’ comp case, we investigate the client’s workplace and health conditions so we can put together the strongest case possible to show they’re entitled to benefits.

If you’ve been diagnosed with work-related asthma in Ohio, consult with our skilled Ohio job-injury lawyers, including Adrienne Hines and Victor Kademenos, who are Certified Specialists in Workers’ Compensation Law by the Ohio Bar Association. We understand the concerns you may have due to your work-related illness. We can file your claim and pursue rightful compensation while you concentrate on getting well.

Call (419) 625-7770 to set up a free consultation about your workers’ comp claim.

Workers’ Comp & Asthma

When you hear “workers comp” you may think of an employee being injured in a workplace fall, due to a machine malfunction or because of a traffic accident while on the job. But, workers comp also covers work-related illnesses too, not just traumatic injuries.

Whether or not a worker qualifies for workers comp benefits basically boils down to

  • Was the injury or illness caused or aggravated in the course of employment?
  • Did this happen at work, a job site, or somewhere you needed to be to do your job?
  • Did the injury or illness arise out of your employment?
  • Was it caused by a risk or danger related to your job?

Asthma is a disease of the lungs. It causes wheezing, being out of breath, chest tightness, and coughing because the lungs’ airways become narrow and inflamed, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Asthma is a condition you have all the time, but asthma attacks only happen if something you breathe in irritates your lungs.

Occupational Asthma

Occupational asthma develops due to exposure to something at work that compromises your lungs. Work-exacerbated asthma occurs to those with asthma before they started the job. It worsens due to worksite exposures to lung irritants, allergens, or physical conditions.

There are more than 300 known or suspected substances in workplaces that can cause or worsen asthma, including:

  • Plant materials: latex, flour, grain dust or wood dust
  • Furry or feathered animals: dander, urine, feces, or saliva from animals
  • Chemicals used for spray painting, insulation, or plastics
  • Enzymes used in detergents and other industries
  • Fumes from metal, chlorine, sulfur, ammonia or formaldehyde
  • Cleaning products
  • Metal dust
  • Metalworking fluids

You may be exposed to irritants at work continuously at low levels or high levels intermittently. Avoiding what triggers your asthma, if possible, could prevent it from getting worse.

Occupations where work-related asthma is more common include:

  • Bakers
  • Domestic and industrial cleaners
  • Farmers
  • Grain elevator workers
  • Hairdressers/salon workers
  • Health care workers
  • Laboratory workers and animal handlers
  • Metalworkers and welders
  • Plastics workers
  • Spray painters and foam insulation workers
  • Woodworkers and foresters

When to Speak to a Work Injury Lawyer

If you believe your asthma is related to your job, contact Kademenos, Wisehart, Hines, Dolyk & Wright Co. LPA. A claim should be filed with your employer as soon as possible to try to limit the chances they’ll deny responsibility. Your primary focus needs to be on healing and returning to work while we protect your legal rights to workers comp for asthma in Ohio. The laws and procedural rules surrounding workers’ compensation are complicated.

People are unfairly denied benefits all too often. The workers’ comp attorneys at Kademenos, Wisehart, Hines, Dolyk & Wright Co. LPA, including our certified specialists Adrienne Hines and Victor Kademenos, can help you receive the compensation you deserve.

Call us today at (419) 625-7770 to discuss your workers’ comp claim.