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Firefighters and heart disease — why you need an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer

Firefighter or first responder injured in the line of duty? You put yourself in harm’s way for us. Are you being fairly compensated?

Your job is tough — rough on the back, muscles, ligaments, nerves, joints, lungs, and even your heart!

It’s more than fair that your workers’ compensation should cover all of the damages you suffer due to your job.  However, some of your body’s wear and tear might be hard to see and possibly harder to prove.

Take your heart, for instance. While it’s busy pumping about 90 gallons of blood a minute, you may be giving it the shock of its life, inhaling burning chemicals from a burning vehicle or a building on fire.  These toxins take their toll.

According to the U.S. Fire Administration,  in 2015 there were 94 firefighter fatalities in the line of duty.  Sixty of those deaths were stress-induced — fifty-four of those fatalities due to a heart attack.

https://www.usfa.fema.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/ff_fatalities_2015.pdf

In simple terms, heart attacks were responsible for at least half of the “line-of-duty” fatalities among firefighters in 2015! 

So, if you’re a firefighter,   you need your good doctor to be keeping a close eye on your heart health.   The unique combination of stress and toxins you  may be exposed to certainly make you a canidate for heart disease!

How can you make sure your workers’ compensation will cover you for any heart-related issues? 

Good question!  Heart disease is often not considered a workers’ compensation issue.  Unfortunately, it’s a leading cause of death among firefighters!

While there are no guarantees in life,  there are certain steps you can take to improve your chances of getting compensated for job-related heart issues or occupational disease.

  • Ask your doctor to run baseline tests for heart disease.  If you have evidence of a healthy heart to begin with, then changes in heart functions may be easier to trace to work-related hazards.
  • Don’t ignore the many different possible signs of heart disease.  Take time to go the doctor!  WebMD lists more than a dozen symptoms,  chest pains, squeezing, and tightness being only a couple of the many possible signs.  https://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-disease-symptoms#1
  • Get an accountability partner for diet and exercise!  If you have a certain amount of “proof” that you’ve been good,  you have a better chance of being  on the “nice” list, not the naughty.  However, if you’re known to de-stress by always partying hard during your time off, this may not sit well those reviewing your workers’ compensation case!

If you know you’ve been exposed to carcinogens or experienced smoke inhalation in the line of duty,  you need the help of a legal expert with your workers’ compensation case!

Heart disease or a heart attack could change the rest of your life. To survive, you will absolutely need time off of work to heal!  Worrying about the future of your job only adds to the stress.

The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC will fight for you, firefighter or first responder !  They are licensed  to handle workers’ compensation cases in both Missouri and  Illinois.   You will get a free and fair evaluation of your case when you call 636-244-3737.

http://steimel-law.com/workers-comp.html

Do you want the best possible outcome for your future and your family? Don’t let heart disease defeat you.  Call 636-244-3737 today!

 

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

 

 

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How you can help prevent work-related back pain

Sometimes your job is just plain a pain in the BACK!

According the Mayo Clinic’s website, back pain is one of the leading causes of disability! It’s also a very common reason people miss work.

Truthfully, neither you nor your employer win if you miss work.  Even if you have paid time off, it’s no fun if you’re miserable!

While many factors aggravate back pain, there are some common causes for work-related back injuries.  Know your possible back pain triggers and protect yourself!

Believe it or not, sitting at a desk all day is a common cause of back pain.
Not using good posture is one key reason for this.  Poor back support is another aggravating factor.   Your boss can take the rap for cheap office chairs. Only you can prevent poor posture!

Here are a few tips to help you take control of your posture:

Lots of repetitive motion is another key factor in work-related back pain.

If you work in a factory doing assembly-line work, you know exactly what this means. The list of jobs requiring repetitive motions  is seemingly endless.

One summer I lost a lot of sleep for months due to pain from  repetitive motion injuries to my neck and upper back.

Here is a small list given to me by my physical therapist that helped me to recover.

  • Gently strengthening core muscles is key to helping with back pain due to repetitive motion.
  • Listen to your body.  Change up the direction of your motion if you can.  Always bend with your knees.
  • Give yourself a daily massage or ask a friend! Stretch and rub sore muscles  during breaks.  Make sure you take those required breaks, too!

Heavy lifting is the most obvious pain-in-the-back culprit.

It’s a double whammy to work at job in which you must do both repetitive motions and heavy lifting. UPS and FedEx, anyone?

Movers, mechanics,  nurses and medical staff, child-care workers, and almost everyone in the construction industry — our vital “movers and shakers” are everywhere!

Proper back support is key. Most companies that require a lot of heavy lifting will provide a handy back brace. In fact, check your workplace regulations if in doubt.

Practice proper lifting techniques. Thankfully, my summer job at an upholstery shop years ago emphasized this.  “Bend with your KNEES, not your back.”   Have you ever hauled seven couches in one afternoon?  Knees bent– back saved!

Have you injured your back due to your line of work? You want to work, but your back screams at you every day?

Do you have  back pain that lasts for more than two weeks? This is considered chronic back pain. Chronic back pain is often debilitating and can lead to depression.  You just want to be able to function, right?

Seeing a doctor for an evaluation is vital. Doctor’s records and notes are also a genuine evidence of your work-related back pain if you need to apply for workers’ compensation.

Is your workplace ignoring your back pain? Are you out of paid time off? Are you unsure if you qualify for workers’ compensation?

If you are struggling to work due to back pain caused by your line of work, you may qualify for workers’ compensation to give your body time to rest and heal. You need the help of an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer!

http://steimel-law.com/workers-comp.html

 

At The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC  we  aggressively help employees win workers’ compensation and personal injury cases in both Missouri and Illinois.

Attorney Steimel says, “Under the Missouri and Illinois laws governing workers’ compensation, you can be compensated for most types of injuries suffered at work, no matter who was at fault for the injury.”

Call 636-244-3737 for your free consultation today.

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.