Any Workers Comp Cases Involving IPF (Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis) ?

[Knip]

Is anybody out there aware of, or familiar with, any cases of someone with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis qualifying for Workers Comp???



I am currently on an unpaid leave, under FMLA, from my job with the State of New Hampshire. During the past year and a half, I have been plagued with frequent illness that were initially diagnosed and treated as severe upper respiratory infections. In August of last year, I had one of these illnesses, but this time the antibiotics did not alleviate all of the symptoms. After chest x-rays and a CT scan, my primary care physician referred me to a pulmonary specialist. After a battery of lung function tests and further CT scan and x-rays, the specialist said that I either had a hypersensitivity pnuemonitis - most likely related to an severe allergic reaction to dust, mold, or other foreign bodies that had gotten into my lungs - or, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF - a degenerative, terminal lung disease). On Dec. 26, 2007, I had an open chest lung biopsy and the results were not able to conclusively rule out either. Since that time, steroid treatment has been tried (which would be very effective for the hypersensitivity) and found to be ineffective. Subsequently, I had an appt. with a specialist in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis at Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital in Boston. I will be doing follow-up with him for further testing and also put into the transplant evaluation program (lung transplant being the only real "treatment" for IPF). As of January 6, the pulmonary specialist in Concord classified me at totally disabled - I am on oxygen 24 hours a day, and unable to return to work, either part or full-time.

I firmly believe that the lung problems I have developed stem from the inadequate ventilation and poor air quality of the "office space" at the Planetarium I have been working in for the past 2 years. The are was never designed to be office space - it was originally designed as a mechanical room! There are no windows, poor ventilation, low ceilings, and bare concrete floors. Currently, there are 6 full-time and numerous part-time people sharing this small space. During the two years I have been there, there have been ongoing issues with leaks in the ceilings from the HVAC ducts. Fumes from copiers and printers have no place to go (but in our lungs).



I was told that I would not be able to file for Workers Comp because there was no one incident or accident that started my problems. Because IPF is a chronic, gradual, degenerative disease, this would be difficult to pinpoint. Any feedback that could be provided would be gratefully appreciated!