Lawyer explains how a heart attack at work in Michigan might qualify you for workers’ comp benefits like medical treatment and wage loss benefits.
We recently had a man contact our workers’ comp law firm regarding a heart attack at work in Michigan. The insurance company denied his claim and he was concerned about supporting his family. He did not have health insurance so medical bills stacked up and he was unable to perform the requirements of his job. Here is some of the advice we gave him. Please remember that every situation is different, so it is best to speak with a lawyer about your own individual case.
A heart attack at work is a tough workers’ comp case in Michigan. An employee must show that his or her job contributed to the heart condition in a significant manner. The Michigan Supreme Court has called for a weighing of job and life factors to determine if the attack is connected to employment activities. Some factors that a magistrate may consider include age, weight, diet, previous heart conditions, and use of drugs or alcohol.
Is a heart attack at work covered by workers’ comp in Michigan?
In Michigan, to get workers’ comp benefits the employee who has a heart attack at work must prove that it was caused or significantly accelerated by employment activities. This is a difficult burden of proof if an employee has a history of heart disease or other risk factors.
Magistrates typically look at what type of activities the employee was engaged in at the time he or she suffered damage to heart tissue. For example, someone who is lifting a heavy item at the time he or she suffered this heart condition has a good chance of making the connection. These are fact specific to these types of cases so make sure to speak with a lawyer if your claim is denied.
Cases involving heart conditions cause lots of controversy because it is difficult to pinpoint the exact cause. This is especially true for individuals with preexisting heart conditions or other life factors. An employee must show that his or her job caused or made significantly worse a preexisting heart condition. This is true even if the employee did not know he or she had a preexisting condition. Insurance companies use the independent medical examination (IME) to say the heart condition is not employment related. The insurance company does not want to pay expensive medical bills or wage loss benefits.
To get workers’ comp benefits an employee who has a heart attack at work in Michigan will need to get testimony from his or her cardiologist or another medical expert to show job activities were the cause. An experienced lawyer can help by reviewing your medical evidence and put the case together.
Injured while on-the-job in Michigan? Contact our lawyers now
If you suffered a heart attack work in Michigan and have questions about your workers’ comp claim, call us now, or fill out our contact form for a free consultation. There is absolutely no cost or obligation. Our attorneys are here for you.
Our attorneys have been exclusively helping injured workers in Michigan for more than 40 years. Our attorneys can help you better understand Michigan work injury laws and what happens after someone has been hurt on the job. To see what our own clients have to say about the caring, compassion, and communication they received from us, you can read in their own words about their experience here on our testimonials page from clients we have helped.
Michigan Workers Comp Lawyers never charges a fee to evaluate a potential case. Our law firm has represented injured and disabled employees exclusively for more than 40 years. Call (855) 221-2667 for a free consultation today.
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