When people often think of workers compensation claims, they often think about things like an injured back. Or other, more obvious injuries that are suffered from something that happened at work. But there are other injuries that can happen at work that are just as devastating. That may not seem as obvious at first. Below are some of the lung problems that qualify for workers comp benefits.
COPD
Symptoms of this disease are persistent phlegm and coughing, inability to catch your breath, and infections in your chest. Once COPD damage has happened, it can’t be reversed. COPD leads to damage in your airways in your lungs. It narrows them and makes it harder for air to pass through your lungs.
Silicosis
This is the oldest of the diseases that are related to work. It happens every time when silica dust gets inhaled into your lungs. A very persistent cough, which may be in accompanied by sputum, inability to catch your breath, and tightness in your chest are all silicosis symptoms. The symptoms will generally appear after a lot of years of being exposed to very high levels of the silica dust. The lung tissue gets damaged with fibrosis and it gets replaced with scar tissue. Even when the exposure ends, the disease will still progress.
Occupational Asthma
This is an illness that a lot of people suffer from when they work in certain industries. If you work in grain transport, industrial baking, or on a farm, you may be affected by the dust from grain and flour. If you work in wood, you may suffer from wood dust exposure. Colophony is often found in soldering fumes but is also found in floor cleaners and glues. Dust related to latex rubber comes from jobs which involve latex gloves which are used in dentistry and nursing.
If you have one of these diseases due to the your work, you may be able to file a claim for worker’s compensation. Why not contact us and see what we can do for you? We will review your information and do what we can do to help you get the compensation that you deserve for your health problems. You are experiencing breathing problems and, if it’s related to your job, you should be able to get the help and compensation you deserve.
