Pursuing workers’ compensation after exposure to asbestos

Getting sick or injured on the job can be a very upsetting experience, especially when a person’s condition is irreversible. A person can be prevented from working for weeks, years or even indefinitely, which can be traumatic for the victim and his or her family who depend on those wages. Without an income, people can find it nearly impossible to make ends meet, pay bills and secure medical treatment for the condition that prevents a person from working.

Very often, workers who have suffered a work-related injury or illness are eligible to pursue workers’ compensation. This money can be crucial in helping victims get the care they need and compensate them for lost wages. Workers who have been exposed to asbestos on the job are among those who may qualify for compensation.

Being exposed to asbestos on the job can prove to have fatal consequences. Workers who have inhaled asbestos fibers can develop mesothelioma, asbestosis and other serious conditions for which there is no cure. Unfortunately, it can take decades for a person to get diagnosed and by then, the damage can be too severe to treat effectively. It is for this reason that victims of asbestos exposure should consider securing workers’ compensation sooner, rather than later.

Workers at one construction company may find themselves weighing their compensation options after it was reported that the construction company was in violation of asbestos and environmental laws after they improperly disposed of asbestos-covered pipes. The company has been fined $100,000 for the violations, but those penalties are of no benefit to the workers who may have been exposed.

Companies who try to cut corners and costs by ignoring the proper disposal procedures for asbestos can face civil lawsuits and huge fines, but these penalties may not impact victims or it may take several years for any civil suit to be settled. Victims in North Carolina should remember that getting immediate financial support can be critical. Successfully applying for workers’ compensation can get victims the money they deserve right away so that they can get the help and medical care they need before it is too late.

Source: Boise Weekly, “Idaho Company Fined For Asbestos Violations Following Nearly $4 Million Cleanup,” Harrison Berry, May 28, 2014