Can diabetes affect your workers’ comp claim?

The concept of workers’ compensation is often couched in terms of remedying physical injuries that occur in the course of employment (i.e. injuries occurring from falls, mechanical mishaps, etc). However, we may not consider how certain physiological issues may affect one’s ability to perform their duties.

Because of this, it is important for workers and employers to consider how diabetes may affect future workers’ compensation claims. A recent workerscompensation.com report detailed how diabetes has become a concern given the many complications that can follow a workplace injury.

Essentially, diabetes, when undiagnosed or uncontrolled, can result in longer healing times for injured workers. Some may even develop infections that stem from the injury.  Either way, diabetes can lead to additional expenditures that can harm both parties. The employer may not be enamored with the additional costs of they will be responsible for, and the worker may have the added anxiety of potentially being replaced because they cannot return to work.

Indeed, injured workers have a right to monetary benefits as they recover from their injuries, but it is no secret that some benefits providers (and employers) sometimes manage their costs at the expense of injured workers. And with nearly half of the adults in the United States potentially having diabetes or pre-diabetes, it is worth knowing how this problem could potentially affect you if you are injured while on the job.

The preceding is not legal advice. If you have questions about your eligibility for workers’ compensation benefits, an experienced attorney can help.

Content retrieved from: https://www.jeromegibsonlawfirm.com/blog/2016/09/can-diabetes-affect-your-workers-comp-claim/.