| MNU wins Hep C case |
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A recent decision by the Workers’ Compensation Board Review Office has resulted in Hepatitis C(Hep C) being categorized as an occupational disease.
Case HistoryA needle stick injury occurred in 2005 and the nurse was diagnosed with Hep C. She applied for workers' compensation but her claim was denied on the grounds that Hep C was not recognized as an occupational disease. The nurse contacted MNU for help. The MNU WCB advisor requested the WCB case manager to review the decision. The claim was again denied. MNU then began a process which took several years and moved through several appeals. On October 28,2011, MNU received notification that WCB had concluded that the nurse did in fact sustain an injury from an accident at work, which resulted in an occupational disease(Hep C). As a result of this ruling, our member will receive retroactive pay as well as other benefits. This decision also builds a frame work for dealing with future needle stick claims. |
