If you have ulcers and a stressful job, you may think about seeking workers’ compensation. Unfortunately, some legal rules make it hard to get benefits for ulcers – but in some rare cases workers may qualify for compensation.
Why Can’t You Get Benefits When You Have Ulcers?
The Minnesota workers’ compensation laws permit workers to receive benefits for injuries arising out of and in the course of their employment. But certain exceptions apply. Importantly, the insurance companies do not have to compensate workers for conditions that arise because of typical work conditions. These include performance evaluations, manager feedback, meeting deadlines, or everyday stressors.
By excluding injuries arising from conditions that nearly everyone experiences at work, the law prevents a flood of claims for minor injuries. But if you have ulcers, you have a serious medical condition that needs treatment. The difficulty comes when you try to show that the ulcers arose from your employment – and not from, for example, following a certain diet. The insurance company will undoubtedly argue that your ulcers did not arise from your employment and were not incurred in the course of employment.
Can You Ever Get Workers’ Comp for Ulcers?
Rarely, workers might recover workers’ compensation benefits for ulcers. For example, if a worker could show that exposure at work to a certain chemical was proven to cause ulcers, then the insurance company might relent. But without a definitive medical diagnosis and concrete evidence that the ulcers are work-related, a worker with this condition could face a long and ultimately fruitless fight for benefits.
As always, consult your doctor if you believe that you have ulcers. Ask about how the doctor thinks you got them. Also ask about any other health problems you are experiencing – they could be connected. If you were exposed to unusual conditions at work such as chemicals or extreme stress, you might still have the basis for a workers’ compensation claim.
Workers who believe that their medical conditions arose from work should seek out free or low-cost consultations with local workers’ compensation lawyers. Experienced lawyers should be familiar with seeking benefits for internal medical conditions and can give advice on a potential claim.
Need help getting workers’ compensation for your injury? Joe Osterbauer, Esq. and the Osterbauer Law Firm stand up for injured Minnesota workers’ rights. Joe’s 27 years of workers’ compensation experience and his team’s speedy service combine to get clients the results they need. To schedule a free consultation, visit Osterbauer Law Firm online or call Joe’s office at (612) 334-3434.
