Can I Get Workers Compensation if I Get Coronavirus at Work?

You’d be hard pressed to find someone whose life hasn’t been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic in one way or another. While it forced some people to cancel their vacations or spend some time working from home, others had the misfortune of actually contracting the virus.

Like many other types of illnesses and injuries, Coronavirus can significantly range in severity. Even though many people who contract Coronavirus only experience a mild form of the illness, it can potentially cause serious problems, such as breathing difficulties, in others. In far too many cases, people have died from Coronavirus complications.

Right now, people have a lot of questions about what’s going on in the world. But one question some people are wondering about is whether or not they would be entitled to workers compensation if they tested positive for Coronavirus after being exposed to it at work.

If you think you contracted Coronavirus in the course of your job, it’s a very good idea to get in touch with a workers compensation lawyer as soon as possible. Workers compensation laws can be complicated and since there isn’t a lot of precedence for workers comp claims relating to pandemics, a lawyer will be able to help you better understand your legal options.

In most cases, exposure to a virus is not covered by workers compensation. Workers compensation is intended to help those who have an injury or develop a medical condition directly connected to their job and it’s not easy to pinpoint exactly where a person was exposed to a virus. So while it’s entirely possible that some people with Coronavirus may have picked it up at their jobs, it would be very difficult to prove that they didn’t catch it from a friend or family member or while visiting someplace like a grocery store or gas station. Especially now that Coronavirus has become so widespread throughout the United States.

However, it’s important to note that there may be some exceptions. First responders and health care workers, for example, can face a substantially higher risk than most people of being exposed to Coronavirus while doing their jobs. In a case like that, it may be possible to build a stronger case that Coronavirus was an occupational illness.

At Goodwin & Scieszka, we have experience helping injured workers in Michigan get the Workers Compensation benefits they’re entitled to. If you have any questions at all about your case, contact us to speak to a lawyer on our team. We’d be happy to help answer your questions in this difficult time.

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