Matt Trollinger

Questions about how COVID-19 will impact workersā€™ compensation settlements are being raised nationwide. Recently, Waldorf attorney Matt Trollinger co-authored an article about the potential legal ramifications of the 2020 pandemic on injured workers.

ā€œWe spend one-third of our lives working, so itā€™s not a stretch to understand that many, many workers acquired COVID-19 at work,ā€ says the article, published in the Maryland Association for Justiceā€™s Trial Reporter. It goes on to explain the challenge of pursuing a coronavirus claim as insurers try to avoid making payments to people with valid on-the-job COVID claims.

The Maryland workersā€™ compensation system was developed so that employees would have medical, wage, and disability assistance if they suffered a work injury or were diagnosed with an occupational disease. The challenge with COVID is determining whether claims should be filed as accidental injuries or occupational illnesses, according to Trollinger and Byron Warnken, the articleā€™s other author.

ā€œOn its face, ā€˜occupational diseaseā€™ would seem the logical choice for a COVID-19 claim. But filing COVID-19 workersā€™ compensation claims as accidental injury claims may bring better success,ā€ it says.

Thatā€™s because a part of the legal definition of an occupational disease states that a job-related illness must be ā€œconsistent with those known from exposure to a biological, chemical, or physical agentā€ that is associated to the type of job held (MD Code, Labor and Employment, Ā§ 9-502).

A widely publicized example of an occupational disease is mesothelioma, an incurable form of cancer that is caused solely by exposure to asbestos. Mesothelioma is exclusively found in employees (or family members of employees) who worked in industries where asbestos was heavily used as insulation. Carpenters, plumbers, shipbuilders, shipyard workers, and even hairdressers may have come into contact with the deadly asbestos fibers, which can go on to cause the fatal cancer in some people. In those cases, exposure to the hazardous agent is clear.

By contrast, COVID-19 is everywhere. Filing a coronavirus claim as an occupational disease could mean running up against arguments that the nature of the job did not put the employee at a greater risk than he or she would have had by picking up groceries at the supermarket.

With the accidental injury approach, lawyers might stand a better chance of success, according to Trollinger and Warnken. These types of claims must arise out of and during the course of regular employment.

ā€œThis type of injury is one in which a worker can point to a specific event or moment when he or she was injured,ā€ the article says. That doesnā€™t mean the employee has to remember the precise date of exposure in order to be compensated. (Applied Indus. Techs. V. Ludemann, 148 Md. App. 272, 811 A.2d 845 (2002). If an attorney can prove that exposure to COVID-19 was more likely than not to have resulted in the illness while working, the claim may be more successful if filed as an accidental injury.

If you have been diagnosed with covid-19 and you think your exposure to it is from work consider hiring an attorney to investigate your claim. Trollinger Law LLC is representing police officers and other members of the community who were diagnosed with covid-19 after an exposure in their workplace.

About the Authors

Matt Trollinger is the lead litigation attorney representing clients in workersā€™ compensation and personal injury matters throughout Maryland and Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Trollinger Law LLC with locations in Waldorf and Frederick.

Byron B. Warnken, managing attorney of Warnken, LLC, is a workersā€™ compensation and personal injury attorney in the Baltimore area. He has argued cases throughout Maryland, including in Marylandā€™s Court of Special Appeals and Marylandā€™s Court of Appeals. He has also had success before the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals.

After a serious accident, an injury can leave you with ongoing medical expenses, unable to work, and worrying about your future. Itā€™s easy to feel overwhelmed in these situations, and the thought of hiring an attorney can be intimidating. At Trollinger Law LLC, we are here to listen to your story, explain your legal options, answer questions about what to expect, and help you make a smart decision about how best to move forward.