Workers who paint buildings and other surfaces for a living may be at a higher than average risk of certain cancers. According to a Swedish study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, job-related exposure to paints and lacquers “significantly increased” the risk of many difference cancers, including those of the lungs, pancreas, esophagus and throat.
Their findings corroborated previous research conducted by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, which named painting as an “occupationally-related cause of cancer.” Depending upon who manufactured and distributed the toxic paints and how the job site where they were used was controlled and protected, employees who develop injuries and illness related to toxic chemical exposure may have some legal remedies available to them.
Toxic Paint Exposure and Workers’ Compensation
Employers are expected to provide a safe work environment that for painters, includes adequate protective gear and sufficient ventilation. Employees working with paints and other hazardous chemicals and substances should wear googles, gloves, or a fully body suit to protect themselves from inhalation and exposure.
If the paints and lacquers containing carcinogens caused a worker to develop cancer, he or she can pursue workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation benefits are used to cover medical costs and lost wages in the event they are unable to work.
It is not necessary to prove your employer or colleagues were negligent in any way to be eligible for workers’ compensation. You simply need to show that you became ill from paints and other chemicals you encountered at your job.
Personal Injury Claim and Painter Hazards
If you are injured as the result of toxic paint exposure caused by someone other than your employer, you may have the right to file a personal injury lawsuit against that “third party.” Unlike workers’ compensation claims, third-party personal injury claims do require the injured party to prove fault. For example, if a paint manufacturer failed to disclose potential hazards in the instructions or neglected to recommend the proper safety gear for use, they may be held liable in a personal injury claim.
Painters and other types of workers probably do not imagine that the work they do may increase their risk of cancer and other serious conditions. Employers can do their part to protect workers with proper ventilation and effective protective gear. Paint manufacturers and distributors can do their part by disclosing exactly what their products are made of and instructing users on how to protect themselves from exposure.
Painters who are not protected from toxic exposure and become sick as a result can seek some form of financial compensation for their medical care and lost income.
Philadelphia Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at Larry Pitt & Associates, P.C. Fight for Painters Exposed to Toxic Chemicals
Toxic exposure is physically, emotionally, and financially devastating to painters and their families. Injured and ill employees should report their work injury or illness to their employer as soon as possible and seek the counsel of a skilled Philadelphia workers’ compensation lawyer for smart legal guidance.
Schedule a free consultation with a caring and knowledgeable Philadelphia workers’ compensation lawyer at Larry Pitt & Associates, P.C. Call 888-PITT-LAW or contact us online to get the process started today.
We represent injured workers in Berks County, Bucks County, Chester County, Delaware County, Montgomery County, Philadelphia County and throughout Pennsylvania, including those in the communities of Abington, Ambler, Ardmore, Bala Cynwyd, Bensalem, Clifton Heights, Crum Lynne, Darby, Downingtown, Doylestown, Drexel Hill, Essington, Folcroft, Glenolden, Haverford, Havertown, Holmes, Kutztown, Lansdowne, Media, Merion Station, Morton, Narberth, Norristown, Norwood, Philadelphia, Prospect Park, Quakertown, Reading, Roxborough, Sharon Hill, Upper Darby, West Chester and Wynnewood.
