Canton, Ohio, Workers' Compensation Blog

ADA protections for mental illness in the workplace

On behalf of Brian, Zwick, Marchisio, Stone & Associates posted in workplace illness on Thursday, December 13, 2018.

In the U.S., about 18 percent of individuals report a mental illness in any given month, making psychiatric disability one of the top reported. Workers with mental illness, or a history of mental illness, are provided workplace rights and legal protections under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Under the ADA, employers are prohibited from discriminating against a worker for psychiatric disability or a history of mental illness. While it is the choice of an applicant or employee to disclose such illness, it is required by the ADA that reasonable accommodations be made to allow a person to work, unless it causes the employer an undue hardship. Also, an employer cannot take any action of the basis of suspicion alone. If mental illness is the reason for an action, there must be documented medical proof that it exists. Some examples of these types of disabilities include anxiety disorders, depression, bipolar disorder and schizophrenia, among others.

Common occupational diseases suffered by workers

On behalf of Brian, Zwick, Marchisio, Stone & Associates posted in workplace illness on Wednesday, December 5, 2018.

When individuals in Ohio and elsewhere go to work, they expect to complete their work duties and get paid for them. People do not expect the act of working to cause them actual harm. In other words, workers do not often consider the possibility of suffering a serious illness from the work environment. Unfortunately, this occurs to many workers, causing people to question what options they have when a workplace accident leaves them unable to work.

Depending on the work environment and the industry in which a person works, the dangers and risks associated with the job can vary. However, there are some workplace illnesses that are more common than others. Take, for example, respiratory diseases. This disease could impact the organs of the respiratory system, including the nose, naval cavity, trachea, bronchus and the lungs. Such diseases include Rhinitis, pneumonia, asthma, pneumoconiosis, dyspnea, and pleural plague diseases.

Reasons to seek SSD benefits

On behalf of Brian, Zwick, Marchisio, Stone & Associates posted in social security disability on Saturday, December 1, 2018.

When a person in Ohio or elsewhere looks at their paycheck, it is clear that there are certain deductions for programs that may be beneficial to them in the future. One of them is Social Security. While no one expects to suffer a serious injury, a chronic health condition or a sudden medical crisis, the truth of the matter is that these events could happen at anytime to anyone. Thus, it is imperative to fully understand the Social Security program and reasons why a person could apply for this financial assistance.

There are currently more than 155 million individuals in the U.S. working who are insured for disability through the Social Security Disability program. Less than one in three U.S. workers are protected by a private disability insurance policy, meaning that most disabled workers are receiving support through Social Security.

Working in a hospital is hazardous to your health

On behalf of Brian, Zwick, Marchisio, Stone & Associates on Thursday, November 29, 2018.

The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration oversees the health and safety of every industry in the country. This includes industrial jobs working with explosives, chemical compounds and other serious hazards, construction jobs involving working at heights and with dangerous equipment and more.

Considering the safety issues that plague many industries, it may surprise you to know that OSHA says the health care industry presents the greatest danger to workers. In fact, the agency reports that, "a hospital is the most dangerous place in the United States." If you work in a hospital, you already know this. The question you need answered is how to protect yourself from illness and injury.

What are work credits and how do they impact SSD benefits?

On behalf of Brian, Zwick, Marchisio, Stone & Associates posted in social security disability on Thursday, November 22, 2018.

Suffering an injury is usually a difficult time for individuals in Ohio. While minor injuries are easily brushed off, serious injuries that require a significant amount of time to recover from have a way of impacting a person's life profoundly. In fact, an injury can be so severe that it could make it hard to do normal things, like caring for oneself. And, in other cases, it could mean losing the ability to work.

The inability to work is not only emotionally devastating, it is also a financial burden. Injured workers who are currently unable to work because of a disabling injury should understand that Social Security Disability benefits may be available. However, in order to establish eligibility, a person's work credits need to be assessed.

Facts about fall injuries in the workplace

On behalf of Brian, Zwick, Marchisio, Stone & Associates posted in workplace injuries on Thursday, November 15, 2018.

Going to work means facing the usual elements in the work environment. For workers in Ohio and elsewhere, that could mean a wide variety of factors. For some, this may mean a desk and an office setting, but for others, it means working at great heights or with machinery. Regardless if a worker works at the ground level or at a height, it is possible to fall when walking, climbing or even standing in the workplace.

There are various circumstances that could lead to a fall accident in the work environment. This could occur because of a slippery, cluttered or unstable walking or working surface. It could also be the result of unprotected edges, floor holes and wall openings, unsafely positioned ladders and misused fall protection.

Pursuing workers' compensation benefits following an injury

On behalf of Brian, Zwick, Marchisio, Stone & Associates posted in workplace injuries on Friday, November 9, 2018.

Going to work is a weekly routine for most residents in Ohio and elsewhere. While it is a part of a person's everyday life, there are certain events in the workplace that most people do not expect to experience, and that includes a workplace injury. A workplace injury can be a shocking and traumatic situation. While some injuries can be minor, others are severe, causing the need for ongoing medical treatment and the need to take off from work to recover.

At our law firm, we understand the impact a workplace injury can have on a worker no matter what industry they work in. A work injury not only causes pain and suffering, but it can also cause financial and emotional harm as well. The medical bills can pile up, and because of lost wages from taking off from work it can create financial stress. Additionally, injured workers may be fearful to return to work, as this was the environment in which they were seriously harmed in to begin with.

What are the signs and symptoms of black lung disease?

On behalf of Brian, Zwick, Marchisio, Stone & Associates posted in workplace illness on Wednesday, October 31, 2018.

As previous posts here have highlighted, occupational illnesses can impact workers in Ohio suddenly. These illnesses can be severe, resulting in ongoing medical care. In some cases, this means missing an extended period of time from work, as it takes time to address these medical problems. However, even with ongoing medical treatment, some employees miss too much work, causing financial harms.

Black lung disease is an occupational illness that is a common condition suffered by coalminers. This disease is the result of continued inhalation of coal dust. As these dust particles accumulate in the lungs, they inhibit the lung's ability to take in oxygen, release carbon dioxide and perform the oxygen and carbon dioxide switch in the blood.

4 types of accidents rank highest in construction worker deaths

On behalf of Brian, Zwick, Marchisio, Stone & Associates on Saturday, October 27, 2018.

Construction workers here in Ohio know that their jobs come with a certain amount of risk. If you are among them, you understand that just about anything at a construction site could cause you harm. However, some things cause more harm than others do.

Researchers identified four types of accidents at construction sites that result in the largest amount of fatalities. In fact, 63.7 percent of construction worker deaths in 2016 attributed to these types of incidents. That same year, 21 percent of workplace deaths involved construction accidents.

Workplace illnesses and black lung disease

On behalf of Brian, Zwick, Marchisio, Stone & Associates posted in workplace illness on Thursday, October 25, 2018.

While Ohio has a wide variety of work industries and environments, one profession that is often thought of is mining. While this is a vital role in the U.S., it is also a line of work that could present many health and safety dangers to workers. Take, for example, black lung disease. Miners are often forced to breathe in harmful contaminates and, over time, could develop a serious condition.

Between the years of 1970 and 2016, four out of every five reported cases of black lung were miners working in central Appalachia. In fact, the most aggressive and deadly forms of this occupational illness increased sharply over the past two decades. Although current data indicates that the number of miners working in the U.S. has largely declined, the number of progressive massive fibrosis have increased.