Heart attack and compensation.

[GuffTech]

What is the name of your state?What is the name of your state? Pennsylvania

I live in Pennsylvania but I work for a small husband wife company in Michigan. I have been doing epoxy floor coating installations across the country for them for about 19 years. On 10-18-04 while working at their warehouse I experienced chest pains and was hospitalized with a heart attack and I had a stent implanted.

I called my company to find out if I could recieve workers comp or unemployment for the time that I will be unable to work, and they told me no because it was a health issue.

I did smoke cigarettes off and on, but I also worked in unventilated areas with urethanes, epoxies, solvents, muriactic acid, exhaust from gas powered machines and stayed in hotel rooms with other smokers for days or weeks at a time.

Am I entitled to any compensation? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

 

[SuzieWahoozie]

Answer

I am not an attorney (I am a Human Resources professional), but I think you are going to find yourself out of luck on this one. It would be VERY difficult, if not impossible, to prove that your heart attack was work-related. So many factors can cause a heart attack - diet, exercise, smoking, heredity, etc.

As for the UI, I am not familiar with PA, but in my state (IL), in order to be eligible to receive unemployment you must be "able" to work - a person on medical "leave" would not be eligible - you cannot be working if you are sick, right? If you could work, you'd be back at the old company!

I assume the ER does not have short-term or long-term disability insurance or you'd have mentioned it. If they DO have STD or LTD, by all means, I'd apply for that. STD and/or LTD probably would cover absence due to heart attack. However, since you didn't mention having it, it's probably a moot point.

Unfortunately, I think you're out of luck. Sorry.