If I Have a Stroke at Work Can I File a Claim for Injuries?

If you suffered a stroke at work, you probably have many questions about what steps to take following the incident. 

The effects of a stroke can be lifelong, and financial concerns can only add to your stress.

If you have a stroke at work, you may be able to file a claim for injuries.  This injury is covered by workers’ compensation if it was related to or caused by your job. 

For example, if your job brought about heavy stress that led to a stroke at work, it could be considered employment-related. 

An interesting situation can arise if you have a pre-existing condition. Common examples of a pre-existing condition that may lead to suffering such an injury include:

• High-blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Heart disease
• Diabetes
• Obesity
• Sickle-cell disease

Even with a pre-existing condition, you may still be eligible to receive workers’ compensation.  You would have to prove that your condition was made worse or aggravated by work. 

For example, an employee with high-blood pressure who works at a very stressful finance job finds themself under intense scrutiny from upper-management, as well as strict deadlines. Eventually, they suffer a stroke. 

This employee may qualify for a workers’ compensation claim if they can prove that stress related to their job was the primary cause of the injury.

Strokes are an extremely dangerous and life-threatening medical condition.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 1 in 6 deaths from cardiovascular disease are due to stroke. Shockingly, someone in the United States has a stroke every 40 seconds, and every 3.5 minutes someone dies.

In Los Angeles county, the rate of stroke (10.8)  is lower than the national average (11.8), but a tad bit higher than the state average (10.4).

The long-term effects can range from:

• Speech and language issues – when the brain is affected, patients often suffer from problems with speaking. They may not be able to properly articulate words, and can endure other issues with reading and writing.
• Memory loss – this injury can cause major loss of retaining information. Short-term memory is heavily affected.
• Mood or personality changes – Irritability, sleep loss, and lack of interest in previous hobbies are signs of a potential personality change in someone following a stroke.

If you suffered a stroke at work due to a job-related task, follow these steps:

• If you have any symptoms, call 911 immediately.
• Report your injury to your employer. 
• Consult with your physician about the next steps to take. A physician can help direct you down the right path to helping with recovery. 

If you submitted a workers’ compensation claim at work and were denied benefits, you should contact an attorney today.  At C&B Law Group, our Los Angeles workers’ compensation lawyers are devoted to helping employees who have been mistreated or ignored by the workers’ compensation system. 

We are constantly fighting for the rights of employees. We believe that all employees should be fairly compensated as the recover from any work-related injuries.

A previous client of ours suffered a stroke at work due to stress from upper management.  We fought for justice, and were able to help the client recover $220,000 dollars. 

Our Philosophy on workers’ comp cases is simple:

• You don’t pay unless we win – Our legal services for your personal injury or workers’ compensation case are 100% free until we win.
• Your initial consultation is free as well –  we will review your case and ensure we have the necessary information in order to take the next steps. 

We will be on your side throughout the process to help you by answering any questions and providing clear and transparent communication.

If you had a stroke at work, reach out to our Los Angeles attorneys today.