Understanding your rights as a healthcare worker during the COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 is still a risk, and sadly, frontline workers have been putting their health on the line since the virus made it to our shores. The virus spreads through respiratory droplets, which means that spending time with infected parties increases your likelihood of contracting the disease. For some, COVID-19 presents no symptoms, but for others, it is deadly. If you or a loved one work in healthcare and contract COVID-19 on the job, there are two legal options you should familiarize yourself with now: 

• You can file a worker’s compensation claim. Worker’s compensations are set up to support employees who are injured during their course of work. The insurance covers medical bills and lost wages. Generally speaking, common infectious diseases are excluded from worker’s compensation, but several states have recently made COVID-19 an exception. If you choose to file a worker’s compensation claim, you must be able to prove that you contracted COVID-19 while at work. If you have a family member with the disease or could have contracted the virus in another way, your employer may push back against your claim. 
• You can sue your employer. Healthcare facilities are required to provide their employees with personal protective equipment that is designed to keep them safe while at work. At the beginning of this pandemic, personal protective equipment was in short supply, which means that healthcare workers were asked to go into unsafe situations. If this describes your experience and you wound up contracting the disease, you likely have a case against your employer since it was their duty to protect you. 

COVID-19 is a difficult disease to manage, and many legal precedents are being set in real-time. If you are struggling after contracting the disease at work, reach out to Attorney David Yeremian in Glendale, California for legal representation. We promise to fight as hard as we can to make things right for you. Do not fight this battle alone, and do not wait to stand up for your rights. The more you delay, the more you risk employers establishing a defense that will block you from receiving any compensatory damages. We are all facing a difficult time. Let’s get through it together.