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How do you claim for a condition caused by your work over time?

Occupational disease claims — repetitive strain, hearing loss, respiratory conditions, certain cancers — are harder than single-incident injuries because there is no event to point to. Some conditions benefit from a presumption where you worked in a listed occupation; otherwise you must establish exposure and a medical link.

What to do next

  1. Document exposure history

    Set out the tasks, duration, frequency, substances and equipment involved across your employment. Where you have worked for several employers, list them all — apportionment may arise.

  2. Check whether a presumption applies

    Quebec recognises presumptions for certain diseases linked to listed occupations, which shifts the evidentiary burden significantly. Ask whether yours qualifies before assembling evidence from scratch.

  3. Get a specialist opinion on causation

    A specialist report linking the condition to the exposure is usually decisive. Occupational medicine input carries particular weight in these files.

Frequently asked questions

What if I already left the job?

You can still claim. Latency is expected in occupational disease, and deadlines generally run from when you knew or ought to have known the condition was work-related.

What if several employers contributed?

That is common and the CNESST deals with apportionment. List every relevant employer rather than only the most recent.

Is hearing loss claimable?

Noise-induced hearing loss is a recognised occupational disease in Quebec, with audiometric evidence and noise exposure history central to the claim.

This is general information, not legal advice. Laws vary by location and every situation is different — speak with a qualified lawyer about your specific circumstances.

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