The temperatures are soaring all around the United States, and that’s putting a lot of workers in different industries at serious risk of heat-related illnesses.
Heatstroke, for example, is the most dangerous hyperthermic illness you can get. This occurs when your body temperature rises above 104 degrees, and it can leave you suffering from permanent damage to your kidneys, liver, heart, nerves, brain and entire metabolic system.
If you got severely overheated while doing your job and ended up with either heat exhaustion (a precursor to heatstroke) or heatstroke, you may be in for a lengthy recovery period where you cannot work – and workers’ comp is meant to cover your medical bills, provide some replacement wages and more.
How is the heat your employer’s fault?
It’s not, but your employer has an obligation to try to protect you from the elements. In this case, that means making sure that you have enough fluids to stay hydrated while you work and enough rest breaks to keep from overheating, among other things.
Even if your employer does everything right, however, you’re still entitled to workers’ comp when you’re injured on the job. That’s the beauty of workers’ compensation being a “no-fault” system. You don’t have to show that your employer made a mistake to have a claim.
From grocery store workers who have to gather carts in hot parking lots to factory workers and lawn care professionals, everybody is feeling the heat. If you end up sickened due to heat exposure at work, don’t hesitate to seek medical attention and assert your rights to the workers’ compensation benefits you need.
