Among the many ways one can die prematurely is to be the victim of a work related injury. That is the conclusion drawn from a study on Long-Term Mortality Risk in Individuals with Permanent Work-Related Impairment conducted by the Institute for Work and Health in Toronto.
The lead scientist for the study, Heather Scott-Marshall, explained that, “For both men and women with a permanent work-related impairment, a crucial factor that predicts whether they die early is what we call ‘work disability’ — the difficulty they face staying in the labour market. Work disability stems from the physical, psychological and emotional difficulties individuals experience coping with, or adapting to, an acquired impairment. These difficulties can affect their sense of self and create problems with social role functioning, such as how they fulfill their roles as a worker, spouse and parent. This, in turn, can affect their ability to re-enter the labour market after an injury and may compromise long-term employment success.”
Other factors that contribute to work disability and difficulty re-entering the workforce include discrimination and the stigma associated with having an impairment. The study also found that young people between the ages of 25 and 39 who suffer from a work-place injury had a higher risk for premature death, regardless of gender.
From a legal standpoint, those who have encountered a work-related injury or disability are often entitled to compensation for rehabilitation and lost wages. Depending on the injury, many people can access short and long-term disability insurance benefits either through their workplace and/or another private insurance source.
As alluded to by Scott-Marshall, many people encounter difficulty entering the labour force after their injury and thus depend on their insurance benefits. Unfortunately, disputes and discrepancies sometime arise that result in the withdrawal of insurance. If this is the case, it is important to speak to a lawyer immediately to avail yourself of your rights and to act within the limitation periods as prescribed by law.
If you or someone you know has suffered a work-related accident resulting in injury, it’s critical to speak with a lawyer right away to protect your rights and get the care and compensation you deserve. For more information, check out our work injury section.
Disclaimer: The content of this article is a general guideline made available for educational purposes only and is not intended to be used as legal advice for the reader's specific situation nor in general. By reading our blog and website content, the reader acknowledges the above and understands there is no lawyer-client relationship created between you and Himelfarb Proszanski through this content. To get specific legal advice, we encourage you to book a free consultation with one of our lawyers to clarify the legal aspects of your situation.