To qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, the employee must prove that the illness is a direct result of their injury or exposure to hazardous conditions on the job. The flu, arthritis and pneumonia are all serious illnesses that can have catastrophic and debilitating consequences, but they are not considered occupational diseases even if the worker claims to have contracted the illness due to their working environment. Illnesses such as these are common among the public. Even if a worker comes down with the flu because of exposure to a colleague that had the illness, it’s not considered an occupational disease.
What’s more, certain groups of workers in South Carolina are ineligible for workers’ compensation benefits. These include railway express and railroad company employees, federal employees, workers at businesses with less than 4 employees and agricultural workers.
However, even if you think you may be an exception and not be eligible for benefits, you should talk to a knowledgeable attorney to find out if other compensation programs may apply in your case (such as FELA for injured railroad workers and FECA for federal employees).