Work can be hazardous. For most workers, those hazards are confined to the workplace and once you clock out for the day you leave them behind. But for many U.S. workers, the hazards they face do not stay at the job site. For the 120 plus million people who have been exposed to dangerous substances, work hazards follow them for decades.
Exposure Risks at Work
Being exposed to hazardous material at work can cause serious health issues. In some cases, hazardous materials can be so dangerous that it can cause cancer. The true risk of work exposure to hazardous materials is that there can sometimes be a long latency period between exposure and sickness. This gives individuals a false impression of health. In many cases by the time symptoms of serious illness show up, it can be too late.
Life-Long Negative Effects
When your health is negatively affected by an unsafe work environment it can have dire consequences on not only just your health but your finances as well. In extreme situations, such as asbestos exposure at work, patients can find themselves facing a serious diagnosis such as Mesothelioma. Mesothelioma is a serious type of cancer, primarily affecting the lungs, and often caused by asbestos exposure.
Cancer treatment can be expensive and when your health begins to deteriorate it can affect your ability to work. These lifelong effects of a dangerous work environment cannot be ignored.
Help Is Available
Many employees who face negative consequences from a dangerous work environment can seek help through worker’s compensation. Worker’s compensation is insurance which your employer carries. This insurance is designed to replace lost wages and help employees pay for medical treatment for health issues caused directly by a work-related issue.
Worker’s compensation is issued through the state and can often be difficult and confusing to navigate. This can especially be true for individuals suffering from Mesothelioma caused by asbestos exposure years ago.
In many cases, worker’s compensation is not adequate for those who are affected by a health issue as severe as Mesothelioma. It is also important to note that a worker’s compensation claim will not hold the employer accountable for putting the employee in such dire risk as asbestos exposure poses.
In order to receive justice for this type of serious situation, it is often necessary to seek legal help which specializes in employees endangered by their employers. In these types of cases, the pain and suffering which the employee has undergone go far beyond simply missed wages or time out of work. The consequences of asbestos exposure and other significant, long term dangers can last a lifetime. In this type of situation, choosing the right lawyer is crucial to your justice.
If you feel that your health was put in jeopardy by your employer, do not settle for a simple worker’s compensation claim. Learn more about your options today.
