Workers Compensation for Skin Cancer

Here in sunny Southern California, our experienced workers comp attorneys are often asked if skin cancer is a disease that can be compensated by Workers Compensation. The simple answers is “yes.” Under some – but not all – circumstances you can collect workers compensation for skin cancer in California.

Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer that occurs in United States – because everyone is exposed to the sun’s ultraviolet radiation. The more time you spend outside without sun protection, the greater the likelihood that you will develop skin cancer. So, for workers whose job requires them to be outside regularly, the danger of developing skin cancer can be great.

But to collect workers’ compensation for skin cancer in California, an employee must prove that the skin cancer is work-related. This means that the worker must be able to demonstrate that the regular duties of their job either caused or aggravated the skin cancer.

National Skin Cancer Statistics

The Skin Cancer Foundation estimated in 2023 that over 1 in 5 Americans will develop skin cancer in their lifetime.

In a 2023 report, The American Cancer Society estimated there will be over 96,480 new cases of melanoma (the most serious form of skin cancer) in the US in 2024. Additionally, they predict that there will be over 1 million new cases of non-melanoma skin cancer.

And the Center for Disease Control (CDC) reports that 7,651 people died from skin cancer in the US in 2019, making it the sixth most common cause of cancer-related death.

California Skin Cancer Statistics

The California Cancer Profiles 2023 data from the National Cancer Institute estimates that one in four Californians will be diagnosed with skin cancer in their lifetime. And in 2023 the California Department of Public Health reported that in 2018, there were over 100,000 new cases of skin cancer diagnosed in California.  While the CDC reported that 2,704 Californians died from skin cancer in 2019.

Skin Cancer in the Workplace

In 2023, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) estimated that over 75,000 workers in the US are diagnosed with skin cancer each year due to occupational exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.  And the actual number of workplace cases of skin cancer may be higher due to underreporting by employers.

The OSHA report stated that workers in outdoor occupations like construction, agriculture, and landscaping are at the highest risk of occupational skin cancer.

Additionally, the California Workers’ Compensation Institute (CWCI) reports that in 2021, there were 2,335 claims for skin cancer accepted in the state. This represents 0.4% of all accepted claims that year.

Proving Skin Cancer is Work Related for Workers Comp

The difficulty with collecting workers’ comp for skin cancer comes in proving that it was sun exposure at work that caused your skin cancer. Since everybody is exposed to the sun’s harmful rays, employers and workers comp insurance companies will often deny a workers comp claim for skin cancer. They may claim that the skin cancer was due to your sun exposure as a child or teen, or during recreational activities such as swimming or gardening.

Unfortunately, in most cases, there is no hard and fast rule that determines what is or is not work related. In California, lifeguards who work three consecutive months in a year and develop skin cancer may get workers’ compensation. But guidelines are fuzzy for other occupations – and it takes hard work and experience to prove that your skin cancer is the result of your work environment. Discussing your situation with an experienced workers’ comp attorney is important to avoid a denial for lack of proof.

Workers Compensation Benefits for Skin Cancer

The three main type of skin cancer are: basal cell carcinoma; squamous cell carcinoma; and melanoma. Although melanoma may be better known, basal and squamous cell carcinoma make up 95 percent of all skin cancer.

The good news is that these types of skin cancer are highly curable! But the bad news is that the medical treatments for skin cancer can be expensive if they are not covered by workers comp, even with good insurance.

Collecting workers comp for your work-related skin cancer is the best way to ensure that all of your medical treatments are covered for your skin cancer.

That is why if you have worked outdoors and developed skin cancer, it is important to consult with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney to make sure you receive the maximum benefits for which you qualify – so that you receive proper treatment for your skin cancer as soon as possible.

 Long Beach Attorneys | Workers Compensation for Skin Cancer

If you applied for and were denied Workers Compensation for skin cancer, it is important to contact a Workers Compensation attorney who is experienced in Cancer cases immediately.

Proving that your skin cancer was caused by your work environment can be challenging. And workers comp insurers can fight you every step of the way. But a Workers Comp attorney who has experience with skin cancer cases will be able to help you present the documentation you need to help you prove your cancer was work related, and obtain the maximum benefits you deserve.

Our Long Beach Workers Compensation attorneys have obtained millions of dollars for cancer stricken workers. We know how the California Workers Compensation system works and how to obtain the maximum benefits for which you qualify.

Long Beach Workers Compensation Attorneys: 562-622-4800

Our Long Beach Workers Compensation Attorneys have obtained millions of dollars in benefits for ill and injured workers across Southern California, Los Angeles & Orange County, including: Anaheim, Arcadia, Avalon, Bel Air, Bellflower, Beverly Hills, Carson, Castaic, Century City, Cerritos, Chatsworth, City of Industry, Commerce, Compton, Costa Mesa, Culver City, Downey, East Los Angeles, El Monte, El Segundo, Encino, Gardena, Garden Grove, Glendale, Hawthorne, Hemet, Hermosa Beach, Inglewood, Huntington Beach, Inland Empire, Irwindale, La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, La Puente, Laguna Hills, Lakewood, Lancaster, Lawndale, Lomita, Long Beach, Los Angeles County, Lynwood, Manhattan Beach, Marina Del Rey, Maywood, Melrose, Fairfax, Mission Hills, Monrovia, Montebello, Monterey Park, Montrose, Newhall, North Hollywood, Northridge, Orange County, Palmdale, Palos Verdes, Paramount, Pico Rivera, Porter Ranch, Rancho Palos Verdes, Rancho Santa Margarita, Redondo Beach, Rosemead, San Diego, San Gabriel, San Marino, San Pedro, Santa Ana, Santa Clarita, Santa Fe Springs, Santa Monica, South El Monte, South Gate, Studio City, Sylmar, Temple City, Toluca Lake, Topanga, Torrance,  West Hollywood, West Los Angeles, Westminster, Westwood, Whittier and more.