Heart conditions and WorkCover < Back

Increasingly, medical research is demonstrating that there is a link between heart conditions and factors such as stress. It is possible in some circumstances to claim WorkCover benefits for a heart condition. It is necessary to demonstrate that the employment was a 'significant contributing factor' to the development of a heart condition. To be a 'significant contributing factor' it is NOT necessary that the work be the sole, major or even the dominant cause of the heart condition. In fact it is possible for work to be a significant contributing factor even though there may be other significant contributing factors to the heart condition such as diet, smoking or weight etc.

When considering claiming WorkCover for a heart condition, it is important to understand that each case must be assessed on its own particular circumstances. Everything will depend on the exact pathology of the heart condition and the history of symptoms.

In fact it is possible for somebody to have a cardiac incident at work but have no WorkCover claim because they cannot demonstrate a link between work and cardiac condition. It is equally possible for somebody to have a heart attack whilst on annual leave and have a strong WorkCover claim because they can demonstrate a link between the condition which, ultimately, causes the heart attack and work.

Each claim depends on its own particular medical circumstances. For example, a person may suffer an arrhythmia whilst doing the work, but in the absence of any severe physical exertion or sudden psychological stress, it may be impossible to prove that the attack was causally related to work in any way. Conversely, somebody may have had a myocardial infarction on a weekend, but that person may, over the previous weeks or months, suffer from high blood pressure, worked under stress and continued to work despite the onset of chest pain. These factors may be enough to establish a link between employment and the cardiac condition.

Continuing to perform physical or stressful work in the face of symptoms, may be enough to demonstrate that work was a significant contributing factor to the additional damage.

The views of your treating doctor are important but his or her view may not be conclusive. Some doctors do not appreciate that it may be sufficient to demonstrate that work aggravated the condition.

Click here for some examples of our successful cardiac claims.

Print