Yes, we can push more work into the category of "work American's dont want to do."

Or "work that Americans can't do or they'll injure themselves"

Who did all this work that Americans won't or can't do before the influx of cheap Mexican labor?

So then we can create a class of second-class non-citizens with no protections, no insurance and no legal recourse instead.

Who has a good book on the fall of the Roman Empire??

You seem to imply a regression in workers rights has been under way. I say it's been the other way around and needs to be reversed some.

Seems like a number of others have figured out what I posted. You did graduate law school right, so you're not IQ<70?

Yep, unless a person is actually physically forced to take and perform a job, a worker that suffers a work-related injury should be kicked to the curb, along with their dependents. That's the American way, right?

You are fast becoming one of my least favorite people here.

Try to actually contribute something. Snide remarks and "Rodehard" don't count.

The black robes give the game away...

Ooooh Scary.

EDIT: If you can't take it, don't dish it out.

No one said anything of the sort, but a cumulative illness should not be an employers responsibility unless their NEGLIGENCE caused it. That's all I'm saying.

Come to think of it, why should even an injury to an employee not caused by my negligence (or that of my staff) be my financial responsibility? Is it that it's not a matter of fair or unfair? But rather "we know the employer can pay" so just charge him?

Some dumb**** disables a laser curtain and flattens his hand in a press, this is my fault?

Len - I agree with you. Now that getting older is a pathology - and the employer of the day held in blame - there is something wrong in this.

What I am saying is that there are millions and millions of illegal workers who dont get the same rights as your workers.

Not yet anyway.

Mr. Plumber said Of course, len forced him to choose that profession and forced him to take the job.

He seems to be saying that if one choses to take a job, if they get hurt, tough luck.

daddy, I think you are drawing an arbitrary distinction between traumatic injuries and other kinds of injuries. If I walk into a nuclear plant every day and in 5 years, I have radiation poisoning, that's a workers comp injury.

With repetitive motion stuff, its closer to the line, I agree.

Gotcha, makes sense.

With the radiation example, negligence is obvious. As the employer would have certainly claimed such an illness would not occur and or is expected to take precautions to prevent it.

I think the threshold of negligence should apply in all cases.

Gotta agree with Len here. I don't think that cumulative problems that should be considered a reasonable and expected outcome of a certain type of labor should be covered by worker's comp.

What's next, mechanics getting workers comp because their hands are calloused after working on cars for 40 years? I just don't get it. If a person injures themselves during a specific incident at work then fine, but this cumulative injury thing just doesn't fly in my book.

Can I get worker's comp if I get an ulcer due to chronic stress in my job? For that matter, can I sue Rodeo for causing me chronic stress and giving me an ulcer by his posts on this BBS?? :p

I guess it's up to W. Virginia to take care of all those black lung victims.

What everyone here fails to realize is that someone is going to pay for these medical probems. It's not going to be the guy making $8/hr, so it's either you and me, or the employer that profited from those labors.

Take your pick. There's no other choices.

Black lung I'm sure could be considered employer negligence if they did not require/provide/enforce protective gear. Case closed, employer pays.

Next time I'll underline "that" (LOL).

If you choose a job that has a reasonable expectation that you will suffer from a particular ailment because of doing it (like changing tires and getting arthritis in your hands, shoulders, and back or stuntman with broken bones) you shouldn't get to sue the employer when the expected happens. It's quite different if there is a risk which is not expected or covered up. But arthritis, OMG!

Can't wait until the video game testers start suing for their thumb injuries too.

You're stuck on this negligence thing. It's not relevant. Nor should it be.

From a guy that hates the tort system, it's pretty funny that now you suddeny want to embrace it in the workers comp setting.

Somebody gets hurt working for you, you pay through your workers comp carrier. That's America.