Attention TSA Workers – How You Can Apply for Benefits if Exposed To Occupational Diseases or Hazards At Work

TSA workers across the country work hard to ensure that all passengers boarding domestic or international flights are safe by screening passengers, and checking luggage contents. TSA workers may seem to have a lot of power and influence in America’s aviation industry, thereby creating an allure around their profession, but the reality is that this is a job that is fraught with risks and dangers to oneself that can lead to injuries which can sometimes be permanent. Occupational conditions are illnesses that are contracted while on the job due to repetitive exposure to an injurious event or disease-causing agent.

The airport environment is fraught with so many risks, from exposure to noxious fumes and biological agents, to the development of injuries on account of repetitive motion and physical exertion, and to this end, many TSA employees often find themselves out of commission. Occupational diseases are compensable in line with FECA legislation, and just about every TSA worker is eligible for this form of compensation; however, the process is replete with tedious bureaucratic procedures and technical denials, necessitating the need for an experienced TSA worker injury attorney from the get-go.

Are you looking for a passionate and dedicated federal workers’ compensation lawyer for injured TSA workers? For close to 30 years, the experienced and efficient attorneys at McCready Law have helped injured federal workers across the country, from all walks of life, get the compensation they deserve in order to attend to their injuries as well as pay for any medical treatment procedures, rehabilitation and replace lost wages as they recover. We serve injured TSA workers countrywide, and we run a bilingual office (hablamos Espanol).

We help expedite the process for all injured TSA workers by referring you to OCWP-conversant physicians when necessary, making sure that you submit all needed paperwork in a timely manner, and even represent you in the event of a denial. If you’d like more information on how to get started as an injured TSA worker seeking federal workers’ compensation, please give us a call NOW at 312-444-0214 for your 100% FREE legal consultation – our experienced fedcomp lawyers are standing by.

Radiation Exposure

Radiation exposure is one of the most common concerns when it comes to working in aviation, whether you’re ground crew or are part of cabin crew. In TSA workers, radiation exposure occurs via the operation and maintenance of full-body scanners as these devices emit low levels of ionizing radiation. Exposure to constant levels of radiation may lead to increased cancer risk for example, breast, thyroid and blood cancer, as well as the development of cataracts and skin damage. In addition, TSA workers may face developmental or reproductive issues due to the likelihood of radiation affecting or concentrating in brain or reproductive tissue. Radiation exposure isn’t immediately apparent, and it can be insidious and occult, taking years to manifest, thereby making it difficult to determine whether your cancer or health issues as a TSA worker were indeed caused by radiation from performing work duties.

Infectious Diseases

Due to the fact that TSA workers encounter tens of thousands of passengers every day, they are bound to come into contact with a dozen sick individuals as well as hazardous biological material. TSA workers may have to contend with infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, influenza, COVID-19, all forms of hepatitis, and even HIV/AIDS. While PPE may help, those with low immune systems and working during a pandemic or in areas known for certain illnesses may lead to increased exposure, leading to severe illnesses, the need for hospitalization and the development of permanent health complications.

Respiratory Conditions

Airports are chock full when it comes to airborne irritants due to emissions from airplanes as well as jet fuel. In addition, these facilities may require regular and incessant cleaning due to the number of people boarding and arriving, as well as the kicking up of particulates and dust by planes. Working in such environments will lead to prolonged exposure to these irritants, leading to the development of asthma, COPD, silicosis, and bronchitis. These health conditions may take some time to develop, and you may even have doubts about how your work circumstances led to them, thinking that you may have either developed them due to a genetic propensity, or as a fluke, instead of work duties.

Musculoskeletal Disorders

TSA workers operate in physically demanding environments and to this end, must be fit and able to do the job. That said, no amount of fitness can prevent the wear and tear associated with performing such physically arduous tasks repeatedly, potentially hundreds of times each day. TSA workers may need to lift bags onto screening carousels, and this can in turn lead to back pain given the weight of these bags. In addition, neck and shoulder pain are common complaints amongst TSA workers as they have to raise and lower their hands hundreds of times doing bag searches and pat-downs, leading to nerve impingement, rotator cuff injuries and so on. Carpal tunnel is a condition that affects the tendons and nerves which are located in the wrist, and it develops due to repetitive motion such as gripping, opening and closing bags, operating x-ray machines, as well as pat-downs.

Attention Injured TSA Workers: Legal Help is Available – Call Us Today!

The federal workers’ compensation program covers occupational diseases and illnesses, but successful application and approval hinges on a few factors which can be facilitated and made easy by working with an attorney. The process can be confusing for an applicant, and we go over the claims process by briefing you on the documents, deadlines that must be met and how to liaise with your federal agency as well as respond to any requests from the Department of Labor. In addition, we help establish causation, which is a vital part of this program as you must prove that your illness is directly caused by a work condition, failure to establish this will result in denied compensation as an injured TSA worker.

There is so much we haven’t discussed in this article while trying to assist injured TSA workers – to this end, we’d like to invite you to give us a call NOW at 312-444-0214 so we can assess your potential claim and inform you about your rights for compensation. The call is 100% FREE, and you can call us from wherever you’re located in the country. Thanks for choosing us, and we look forward to helping you.