Workers’ Compensation For Heat Or Cold Exposure In Central Washington
Exposure to heat and cold can lead to a range of injuries on the job. Working outside on a cold or hot day, or being around extreme temperatures while you’re inside, can take its toll on you.
Because of this exposure, you may find yourself ailing and maybe even unable to work.
Now you’re stressing out about your bills. How will you pay them? How will you get back to a normal life?
This is where worker’s compensation benefits can help. If your claim is successful, not only will you be able to get medical treatment at no cost to you, but you can also get direct payment for lost wages and have financial security once again.
In Washington, the Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) oversees workers’ comp claims. According to L&I, there are more than 1,450 claims filed each year for contact with temperature extremes.
If you end up in this number, the workers’ comp L&I attorneys at Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC can help you win life-changing benefits in Richland, Spokane, Kennewick, Sunnyside, Yakima, Walla Walla, Ellensburg, Wenatchee, or anywhere else throughout central Washington.
After an injury at work, get the full benefits you are entitled to receive.
Types Of Workers’ Compensation Claims For Heat Or Cold Exposure
Different injuries and illnesses can result from exposure to extreme temperatures.
Cold temperature injuries include:
- Frostbite
- Hypothermia
- Trench Foot
- Chilblains (a skin condition)
Hot temperature injuries include:
- Heat rash
- Heat cramps
- Heat stroke
- Heat exhaustion
For a workers’ comp claim in Washington state, you’ll need to prove first that you were exposed to extreme temperatures in the workplace and second that because of this, you suffered from an injury or illness.
The following scenarios may apply to your situation:
- Your employer required you to work outside in the cold or heat and didn’t provide you with the proper protection, such as warm clothes during the winter or a hat to protect your head from the sun in the summer.
- Your employer didn’t allow you to take breaks and come inside when working in the hot or cold.
- You were working inside, and your employer didn’t provide air conditioning on a hot day, heat on a cold day, or protection for temperatures caused by equipment or other aspects of your work environment.
No matter what the circumstances surrounding your injury, a Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC workers’ comp lawyer can fight to get you your workers’ comp benefits so you can recover and return to normal life.
To start, you can receive a FREE legal evaluation of your situation.
Starting An L&I Claim For Heat And Cold Exposure In Washington
As soon as you experience an illness or injury due to exposure to extreme temperatures, you should start your L&I claim in Washington.
Claims aren’t always easy, however. You could be denied or awarded less than the full benefits you should receive.
Here’s what you should do for the best chance of getting all the benefits that are rightfully yours:
- Report your injury or illness to your supervisor and GET YOUR REPORT IN WRITING.
- Receive treatment from a doctor, making sure it’s a doctor who puts your interests first, and not just a company doctor.
- Follow your doctor’s treatment orders, which may include attending follow-up appointments, undergoing different medical tests, and taking medication.
A dedicated and experienced workers’ comp attorney from Bothwell Hamill & Sutton, PLLC can fight for you to get you the maximum benefits you deserve.
Then you can stop worrying about how to hold on to financial stability, and focus on what matters most: Healing your body, getting back to work when you can, and living your fullest life.
