In most situations, strokes and heart attacks are not directly job-related. But if your doctor is of the opinion that your job duties or job environment contributed to causing a stroke or heart attack, you may have a strong workers’ compensation claim.
The truth is that a stressful work environment can be very bad for a person’s health. In some cases, the stress of a person’s job — or being terminated from a job — contributes to cardiovascular or heart disease. If you suffered a stroke or heart attack at work or even outside of work, and your doctor thinks your stroke or heart attack is job-related, you should talk to an experienced workers’ compensation attorney about your case.
Important: A doctor must be of the opinion that your medical event (stroke or heart attack) is somehow connected to your job; otherwise, you do not have a workers’ compensation claim.
What if I already stopped working at my job?
You don’t have to still be working at your job to file a workers’ compensation claim. Whether you had to leave your job due to your illness or you were terminated, you may still be able to get workers’ comp benefits. The main thing to understand is that you should not try to handle this type of claim on your own. Talk to a Georgia workers’ comp attorney about your case to find out if you have a solid claim for benefits.
To learn more about your options, please see our Georgia Workers’ Comp FAQ.