Had a Heart Attack? Your Job May Be to Blame.
If you’ve suffered a heart attack while working, before or after your shift, or even on a weekend, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits in California. Many workers don’t realize that heart attacks are often work-related — even if they happen off the clock.
As experienced Los Angeles work injury attorneys, we help injured employees secure compensation for serious health conditions, including heart attacks.
Is My Heart Attack Work-Related?
According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), 10 to 20% of all cardiovascular deaths are linked to work. Factors such as (About Work-related Heart Disease | Heart Disease | CDC):
Long hours
High job demands
Physical exertion
Workplace stress or bullying
Exposure to chemicals, dust, heat, or toxic environments
Poor treatment by supervisors
Inadequate rest or meal breaks
...all increase the risk of heart attack.
In California, you only need to prove that work contributed at least 1% to your heart attack to qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. This includes both specific events (like lifting a box) and cumulative trauma (like years of job-related stress or physical strain).
High-Risk Jobs for Heart Attacks
Heart attacks can happen in any profession — but the risk is especially high in physically demanding or high-stress roles, including:
Truck drivers and delivery drivers
Firefighters and police officers
Healthcare workers (nurses, EMTs, CNAs)
Restaurant and kitchen staff
Construction workers
Warehouse employees
Machine operators and assemblers
Maintenance and janitorial staff
Hotel housekeepers
Teachers and school staff
Landscapers and groundskeepers
Call center employees
Agricultural and farm workers
Manufacturing and factory workers
Security guards
If your job causes you physical or mental stress, you may be eligible to file a claim.
Examples of Work-Related Heart Attacks
You suffer chest pain or collapse while lifting something at work
You experience a heart attack on your day off but have a long history of job stress
You begin having symptoms after working overtime or back-to-back shifts
You’re diagnosed with hypertension, high cholesterol, or heart disease after years on the job
Even if your heart attack didn’t happen at work, you may still qualify due to cumulative trauma. You don’t need to know it was caused by your job — under Labor Code §5412, you’re not charged with “knowledge” until a doctor connects your condition to work.
Why You Need a Workers’ Comp Attorney
These cases are complicated — and insurance companies will try to blame other causes like:
Smoking
Obesity
Family history
Lack of exercise
As former defense attorneys, we know their strategies — and we know how to beat them. We use medical experts, legal strategy, and deep knowledge of the system to prove even partial work causation.
How We Prove Your Heart Attack Was Work-Related
When you hire us, we file a claim at no cost to you and:
Request a state panel of Qualified Medical Evaluators (QME)
Choose doctors in cardiology, internal medicine, psychology, and other fields
Fight to establish that work was a contributing factor to your heart attack
Work to recover maximum compensation from the insurance company
Benefits You May Be Entitled To
Lifetime medical care — including visits, prescriptions, and heart procedures
Temporary disability — up to 2/3 of your wages while recovering
Permanent disability — compensation based on how much work caused the injury
Total disability (100%) — if you can’t work again, we’ll fight for full total temporary disability
Call a Los Angeles Heart Attack Workers’ Comp Attorney Today
These injuries are life-altering — not just for you, but for your family. You don’t have to go through this alone. We’re experienced, aggressive, and compassionate. At Lee Partners Law: Work Injury Attorneys, we have over 25 years experience in litigating Heart Attack claims. David A. Lee and Michael Lee are Certified Specialists and experts in complex heart litigation.
If you or a loved one suffered a heart attack that may be related to your job, call us today for a free consultation. We’re here to help you get the medical care and financial support you deserve. CALL NOW (310)295-0822.
If you have been feeling stressed out by work click here to learn more about Psychiatric Injuries and how your stress is tied to work: Suffering from Stress or Anxiety at Work? You May Qualify for Workers’ Comp in California