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    Early Warning Signs of a Heart Attack While Working

    Heart attacks have long been associated with physical exertion, especially in a person who is not physically fit. They have also been connected to fear, anger and stress. As a result, the idea of a person having a heart attack on the job is not at all surprising. Whether an employee works in a labor intensive job, a job that subjects them to extreme heat conditions, or simply a career that causes a lot of anxiety and stress, the only people who generally argue that a job can’t cause stress would be a company trying to deny a workers’ compensation claim. Fortunately, the workers’ compensation board and the Commonwealth Court have ruled in favor of these claims in the state of Pennsylvania.  As long as the employee can establish that they suffered a heart attack and that it arose in the course of employment and was related to their job, all they need is an unequivocal medical opinion that links the injury to the environment. Though there is some comfort in knowing that an experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help you get the compensation that you deserve in case you do suffer an attack, it is far better to avoid the situation entirely. By keep yourself in good physical condition and learning the early warning signs of a heart attack while working, you can go a long way to protect yourself.

    If you believe that you are at risk of having a heart attack on the job, there are a number of typical symptoms of heart attack that you should be familiar with. These include:

    • Chest pain – this is the most commonly-recognized symptom of a heart attack. The sensation has been described as a squeezing in the chest that can be constant or can come and go. It generally lasts for a period of more than a few minutes.
    • Upper body pain – an ache that spreads to the shoulders, upper arms, neck, back, teeth and jaw.
    • Stomach pain – generally described as feeling like heartburn, but sometimes like nausea.
    • Difficulty breathing – many people having a heart attack have a hard time catching their breath. This is exacerbated by the pain they feel in their chest.
    • Lightheadedness – dizziness and vertigo are frequently experienced before a heart attack. This is often related to a shortage of oxygen to the brain.
    • Sweating – many people will break into a cold sweat immediately prior to having a heart attack.
    • Anxiety – people who experience a heart attack often report a sense of extreme stress that is very similar to the sensation of having a panic attack.

    It is important to remember that everybody experiences heart attacks differently, and that women’s symptoms often differ from those experienced by men. If you fear that you are having a heart attack on the job, seek medical attention immediately. If you do have a heart attack on the job and your employer or their insurance company denies your workers’ compensation claim, contact the attorneys at Vanasse Law for knowledgeable legal representation.