What You Need to Know if You Suffered a Stroke at Work

• Dan T. Matrafajlo
• Mon Mar 2018
• Work Injury,Workers Compensation,
• 0

It’s been a difficult few months. You were on a job site when you suddenly felt dizzy and started to have double vision. Later, you learned that you had a stroke at work. All things, considered, you were lucky you weren’t alone. Otherwise, you might not be alive. The quick actions of your coworkers were lifesavers. However, you can’t help but wonder if you are entitled to workers compensation benefits.

Workers compensation benefits are available to employees or workers who are injured in the course of employment or suffer a work related injury or medical condition. However, it is important to note that just because you were on the job it does not mean that you suffered a workplace accident, especially in the case of a stroke. You or your New Jersey workers compensation attorney must be able to prove that the injury or medical condition is related to a specific work-connected accident or incident to be considered compensable.

What Is a Stroke?

According to the American Heart Association, a stroke happens when certain parts of the brain become damaged or die. There are three types of stroke:

• Ischemic strokes – happens when blood clots or other particles block the blood vessels to the brain.
• Hemorrhagic strokes – happens when a blood vessel bursts or leaks in the brain, causing blood to build up and damage the surrounding brain tissue
• Transient ischemic attacks (TIA) – commonly known as “mini-strokes”, happens when blood flow to the brain is blocked for a short period of time.

Proving Your Stroke Was Work Related

An important element in claiming workers compensation benefits for a stroke is to prove that it was work related. The most common catalyst for a stroke is stress. Whether caused by poor management, demanding tasks or long work hours, the workplace can a source of serious mental and physical pressure. In some cases, this can lead to serious health problems, such as a sroke.

In addition to showing your cerebral hemorrhage was related to work, New Jersey law also requires that the condition would not have occurred were it not for the work-related incident. There can be a delay between an accident and a hemorrhage which can make these types of claims potentially harder to prove than more common injuries. Despite this, it is not uncommon for courts to award everything from partial disability to full death benefits in cases involving a cerebral hemorrhage. What’s more, unlike heart attack claims it is unnecessary to prove that an unusual amount of strain or stress was on the employee before the cerebral hemorrhage occurred.

Call a New Jersey Workers Compensation Accident Attorney

If you or someone you know has suffered any type of injury in a work-related accident or an accident caused by the reckless or negligent actions of another party, an experienced New Jersey accident injury attorney can help. Call Beninato & Matrafajlo Attorneys at Law, LLC at 908.325.3032 to schedule a free, complimentary consultation with our legal team today.