When Are Illnesses ‘Occupational Diseases’ Covered by Workers’ Comp?
Workers’ compensation provides benefits for workers who suffer not only work-related injuries but also illnesses. Some illnesses are designated as “occupational diseases” by the workers’ comp laws and automatically covered. But other types of illnesses are only considered an “occupational disease” when they arise out of and in the course of the worker’s employment. Here are two cases in which workers’ comp boards had to answer this question: Was the worker’s illness an occupational disease under the workers’ comp law?
