In the quest to provide for their families, workers are often required to put in long days and face increasing stress. Accordingly, the incidents of workplace illness claims have continued to climb. Missouri employees often put in long hours in a workplace that is not conducive to good health.
Recently, researchers affiliated with the United Nations published their findings regarding occupational illnesses globally. They found that an estimated 2.8 million workers suffer from some type of work-related illness every year. These illnesses are the result of increased stress, longer work hours and occupational-related diseases, including cancer cancer. Along with the alarming number of deaths, approximately 374 million additional workers suffer from the effects of workplace illnesses or injuries. The study reported that an estimated 6,500 workers die every day due to workplace illnesses as opposed to the estimated 1,000 workers who are killed in an accident.
The highest numbers of illnesses are associated with circulatory diseases, with approximately 31 percent of workers suffering some form of this disease. Another 26 percent die from an occupational form of cancer. An estimated 17 percent of workers are sickened from a respiratory illness associated with their employment field. Researchers blame several factors, including increased working hours, changes in climate and overall changes in work practices.
Women may be especially vulnerable to contracting a workplace illness due to the heavier demands on their time and health. They often work long hours and continue to bear the majority of the demands as primary caregivers. These types of illnesses take a heavy toll on the lives of workers everywhere around the world and could be prevented in many cases. Missouri workers who have suffered the consequences of a workplace illness may have a basis for filing a claim for workers’ compensation benefits. An attorney who is well-versed in filing these claims successfully may provide invaluable assistance in helping workers collect maximum allowable benefits.