Lawsuits over occupational illness more than double

The number of lawsuits concerning occupational disease in São Paulo and the surrounding region exploded as of 2016, highlights a report by Fernando Martines of the Conjur website.

Data from the Regional Labor Court of the 2nd Region show that cases involving this subject jumped from 6,802 in 2014 to 13,951 in 2016. As of August 31, 2017, the figure already stood at 9,063 lawsuits.

Occupational disease in the state capital — In the city of São Paulo, the growth is even more intense, having doubled from one year to the next. In 2015 there were 2,865 cases of this kind in the state capital, jumping to 6,251 lawsuits in 2016.

The website states that the number of cases of psychosocial diseases has been increasing, but most lawsuits still involve physical diseases, especially in the skeletal and muscular systems. In the case of this second group, the main cause is the ergonomic condition of the work.

According to a news item published by Diário do Grande ABC, the intensification of the economic crisis over the last two years has caused unemployment and insecurity in the region’s labor market to increase. “Fearing the loss of their jobs, many employees afflicted with occupational disease decided to seek support in the courts, in order to obtain compensation for the consequences caused or aggravated, generally, by repetitive activities,” says the article by Flavia Kurotori and Gabriel Russini.

Herein lies the importance of paying attention to these figures and, when necessary, seeking the assistance of specialists who can help find solutions to disputes, both for companies and for employees.

Occupational disease — lawsuits (TRT-2)

Read also to learn how to avoid conflicts in a family business.

Sources: Conjur and Diário do Grande ABC