Proving a heart attack is work related can be tricky, but it's not much different than other repetitive trauma cases
If you type all day and get carpal tunnel syndrome it wouldn't surprise anyone that your injury was in part caused be your job activities. Prove that and you win your case even if you have underlying risk factors.
We've stood before many an Arbitrator and had injured clients demonstrate how they used their hands when typing and the pain they noticed. Unfortunately you can't easily demonstrate how you use your heart when working.
The fact of the matter is that if your job plays a role in having a heart attack you should have an Illinois workers' compensation case. I'm not talking about normal stress, but rather the actual job duties. In other words, if you are lifting heavy material all day it's going to make your heart work harder. If after a day of heavy lifting you have a heart attack we think it should be a work comp case. Or if over time you do a ton of lifting, work in extreme heat or cold or do anything else that is a risk we'd likely pursue your case. To win we simply need to talk to your cardiologist, explain the law and ask if your job played any role in your heart attack.
We do the exact same thing on all of our other cases. Just because you can't see how the job caused your injury doesn't mean it didn't happen.
We are workers' compensation attorneys that help people with Illinois work injuries anywhere in IL via our statewide network of attorneys. Contact us and we will answer your questions or find the right lawyer for your situation.
