Most workers know that if they are injured in an accident on the job, they can seek coverage from their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance, which is required for most employers under Connecticut law. However, you are also entitled to compensation for your medical bills and lost wages due to illnesses and medical conditions that developed as a result of your job. At times, it can be complicated to prove that your medical condition stems from your work;, however, an experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help you receive the benefits you deserve.

How Workplaces can Cause Asthma

Different work environments and conditions can result in an employee developing asthma, which is a chronic disease that irritates your airways and can result in a lack of oxygen to the lungs. Exposure to certain agents at work can cause asthma to develop or significantly increase your risk of suffering from asthma. Some of these agents include:

Dander, hair, protein, or other animal substances
Hemp, cotton, or other textile dust
Coffee, tea, spices, grains, flour, and other organic dust
Metal dust, including chromium, platinum, or nickel

Effects of Asthma

Asthma can affect your life in many ways, can require ongoing medical treatment, and can limit your activities and abilities. Though the symptoms can vary from victim to victim, some common effects of asthma can include:

Swelling of the airways
Tightness in the chest
Wheezing
Coughing
Inability to catch breath
Chronic shortness of breath

In many cases, symptoms are triggered by certain situations or allergens and victims of asthma must avoid such triggers. Some asthma attacks can be fatal without the proper treatment immediately available.

Benefits for Asthma

If employers provide an environment with poor air quality, they should be held liable for asthma that results. To prove your job caused your asthma, however, you may have to provide evidence of the unsafe air quality at work. This is not easy and it is essential to be represented by a skilled workers’ compensation attorney through this process.