Causes of Heart-Related Injuries on the Job

There are some injuries and work-related illnesses that are clear-cut and rarely questioned. These include accidents that occur in the workplace and exposures to chemicals and toxins that are present in the workplace. Unfortunately, other medical conditions are not as straightforward, and workers who suffer these illnesses or injuries are rightly concerned about whether their workers’ compensation claim will be accepted. High on this list is heart attacks suffered by workers.

Though to the ill employee there may be no question that their heart condition or heart attack is a result of work-related stress, employers and their insurance companies are highly likely to deny the claim and put up an argument. In the state of Pennsylvania, ruling on the merits of a workers’ compensation claim for a heart attack are based on how much exertion your job requires. Though your job may place you under tremendous stress, that emotional challenge is not enough to win your case. If you have suffered a heart attack that you believe was caused by your employment, you need an experienced attorney who can help you gather evidence to prove your case. The lawyers at Vanasse Law have a long record of successfully winning heart injury workers’ compensation cases, and can assist you as well.

Heart attacks suffered on the job can be a result of a job requiring a person to be sedentary for long periods of time followed by periods of extreme exertion – a truck driver is a perfect example of this type of activity or job responsibility. In addition to being caused by physical stress, heart attacks can also be a result of mental stress, and in some situations the state has held that an upsetting situation at work has directly caused a heart attack. In these cases, despite the objections of the employer, the workers’ compensation bureau has been convinced that the physical injury of a heart attack was the direct result of a work-related mental stimulus. The sick worker’s attorney was required to prove that the heart attack existed, and to provide testimony from a medical authority stating unequivocally that the attack was related to what happened at work, whether mental or physical. This type of legal argument requires a highly skilled, knowledgeable attorney with extensive experience in workers’ compensation litigation.

Whether you have suffered a heart attack as a result of physical exertion required at work or because of the emotional stress of an event or situation at work, it is important that you work with an attorney who is well versed in the specifics of Pennsylvania’s workers’ compensation laws, and who has extensive experience in successfully representing injured workers like yourself. At the Lancaster law firm of Vanasse Law, we are committed to making sure that our clients get the compensation that they deserve and that their rights are fully protected. Contact us today to set up an appointment.