Many people wonder if a medical condition or problem is work-related because it was not caused by a specific accident while working.  Maybe the condition was first noticed outside of work. Sometimes, we can’t pinpoint a day, time or location when an injury happened, even though we know it was caused by work.

The progressive development of a condition over time due to employment duties is called an occupational disease.  The prime example of this would be carpal tunnel syndrome.  Another would be hearing loss.  Even injuries to your back or neck may be due to repeated trauma over time from bending, lifting and carrying.  The Workers’ Compensation law does not discriminate against such claims and there are specific provisions protecting injured workers who have these kinds of injuries.

The best workers’ compensation attorneys will explain to you the process for notifying your doctor and employer of such a condition and the time frames within which to do so as they are different from those of a direct accident.  A work place injury is not always the result of a one time incident.  Contact us if you think you have a work-related condition.  Our initial consultation is always free.