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People with Lung Cancer: Getting Workers’ Compensation

In Canada, there are about 1,900 cases of lung cancer caused by asbestos every year. If you have been told you have lung cancer, you need to figure out if you were exposed to asbestos in your workplace. If you were, then you may be able to get help through the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). This is called workers’ compensation. Many patients with lung cancer caused by asbestos at work do not know about this option.

How to Know If You Can Get Workers’ Compensation

You may be able to get compensation if:

  • you have a good reason to believe that your lung cancer was caused by asbestos in your workplace.
  • your workplace was covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board during the time you were exposed.

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board will usually accept claims for lung cancer if:

  • you can show that you had at least 10 years of exposure to asbestos in your workplace.
  • there are at least 10 years between your first exposure to asbestos and your diagnosis of lung cancer.

How to Get Help with a Claim

If you need help with a claim or if you are not sure if you should file a claim, the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers can guide you. They are free and specialize in occupational health and disease prevention. They do not provide medical treatment. There are 8 clinics across Ontario.

The clinics will:

  • help you write down and organize your work history. This is helpful if you worked for small companies or many companies.
  • look at how much your exposure to asbestos might have impacted your health. This is called an exposure evaluation.
  • look at your other risk factors for lung cancer (like smoking).
  • help you, your family and your advocates decide if making a claim for compensation is right for you.
  • help you fill out and submit a WSIB Worker’s Report of Injury/Disease form (Form 6).
  • fill out and submit a WSIB Health Professional’s Report (Form 8) or help your doctor fill it out.

Benefits of Filing a Claim

If your claim is accepted, you, your spouse (husband, wife or partner) and your children will receive benefits, including:

  • money to make up for your loss of income
  • healthcare costs such as homecare and medication costs
  • survivor payments (lump sum and monthly benefits) to your spouse and dependents
  • funeral and transportation costs
  • counselling for you and your family about end of life
  • support for your spouse to go back to work if they choose

Filing a Claim

There are 2 ways to file your claim: A or B. Your patient navigator can help you decide which choice is the best for you. You and your healthcare team need to submit 2 forms.

Option A

You and your healthcare team file the claim:

  1. Fill out the WSIB Worker’s Report of Injury/Disease form (Form 6). You can get a copy of Form 6 from the WSIB website, by calling 1-800-387-0750 or from your patient navigator.
  2. Get your healthcare team to fill out the WSIB Health Professional’s Report (Form 8). Your family doctor, surgeon or some registered nurses from the Diagnostic Assessment Program can fill out Form 8. It includes information about your diagnosis and your exposure to asbestos.
  3. Send Form 6 and Form 8 to the WSIB. These forms can be sent in separately by you or the healthcare team to this address:

Workplace Safety and Insurance Board
200 Front St. West, Toronto M5V 3J1

You can also fax the forms to:
1-888-313-7373 or 416-344-4684

Option B

You file the claim through an Occupational Health Clinic for Ontario Workers.

  1. You or your family member sign a consent form for your patient navigator to refer you to the clinic. This allows your patient navigator to send your personal health information to the clinic.
  2. The patient navigator will send your referral package to your preferred clinic.
  3. A person from the clinic will contact you to book an appointment. At the appointment, you will speak to a case manager who will help you with your claim.

Choose a Clinic

To find the address of the clinic most convenient to you, visit the Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers website or call 1-877-817-0336.

After Filing a Claim

The Workplace Safety and Insurance Board:

  • will make a decision about your claim by talking to you, your employer, Occupational Health Clinics for Ontario Workers and your healthcare provider
  • may contact you or your family for more information

For More Information