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When someone sustains an injury while at work, they can file a claim to receive workers’ compensation benefits. Many people don’t realize they can also receive workers’ compensation benefits for mental health issues, such as stress or anxiety. If you have stress because of issues or conditions in your workplace, you could get benefits through workers’ compensation. Things you should know about these claims include the common reasons for stress in the workplace and the benefits you could receive. It’s also helpful to know which other mental health issues you could receive workers’ compensation benefits for. A workers’ compensation attorney can examine your particular case and determine whether you qualify for these benefits.
Common Reasons for Stress in the Workplace
To receive workers’ compensation benefits for stress, you must prove that you developed your stress in the workplace. A workers’ compensation attorney can build a case to prove you developed stress because of the following types of incidents:
- An argument or conflict arising between you and a colleague or your employer
- Experiencing assault while at work
- Other colleagues or your employer bullying you at work
- A colleague or your employer sexually harassing you at work
These issues could cause you to deal with such intense stress that it ends up impacting your personal relationships and life outside of work. If you deal with stress because of these issues, speak to a workers’ compensation attorney and tell them about these problems. They can look at the facts of your case and determine whether you could file a workers’ compensation claim.
How to Prove Your Workplace Caused Your Stress
To receive workers’ compensation benefits, you must prove your workplace caused your stress. During the investigation, a workers’ compensation attorney can identify evidence of stressors in your workplace that could lead to a workers’ compensation claim.
Steps to prove your stress claim include:
- Reporting your stress to your superior: By alerting them of your stress, they can put it in your employment file. During a claim, you could use this report as a piece of evidence documenting that you informed your employer.
- Talking to coworkers: Discuss your stress with your coworkers and have them document events they observed. If needed, your coworkers can act as witnesses in a workers’ compensation claim.
- Documenting everything: Write down the date, time, and detailed description of any events that happen at work related to your stress. When filling out a workers’ compensation claim, this information could help significantly. It’s important to include as many details as possible.
These steps could give you a better chance of linking your stress to events that happened in the workplace. A workers’ compensation attorney can help you prove the link.
Workers’ Compensation Benefits You Could Receive for Stress
If your workers’ compensation claim gets approved, you could receive:
- Expenses to meet with a mental health professional
- Other medical expenses related to the stress
- Lost wages
Other Mental Health Issues Workers’ Compensation Could Cover
While you could get workers’ compensation benefits for stress, other mental health issues could also arise from events at work.
Events that happen in the workplace could lead to post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). You could develop PTSD if a scary event occurred in your workplace. For example, if someone came into your workplace and assaulted you or you witnessed an assault, you could develop this mental health condition.
Symptoms of PTSD include nightmares, flashbacks, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event. If you have difficulty adjusting and coping after the incident, you could file a workers’ compensation claim for post-traumatic stress disorder.
Anxiety
You could file a workers’ compensation claim if you develop an anxiety disorder because of your workplace. Anxiety could cause you to have excessive and persistent worries about normal, everyday situations. These feelings could interfere with anything you do throughout the day. Symptoms include:
- A sense of impending danger
- Heavy breathing
- Increased heart rate
- Trouble concentrating
- Sleeping difficulties
- Avoidance of anxiety triggers
If you believe you developed anxiety because of an event at work, a workers’ compensation attorney could help. They can build a case linking your anxiety to the work event. That way, you can get the time off work you need to take steps to work on your anxiety.
Depression
If you now suffer from depression, you could be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits if it was aggravated or caused because of work-related activities. Symptoms of depression include:
- Feelings of sadness or hopelessness
- Angry outbursts and irritability
- Loss of interest in normal activities
- Sleep disturbances
- Reduced appetite
- Feelings of worthlessness
- Trouble concentrating or making decisions
- Frequent or recurrent thoughts of death
Symptoms of depression can significantly impact your life. You might have trouble getting to work or performing your job duties. If your depression is connected to an event that happened at work, you could qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. A workers’ compensation attorney can look at the details of your case and help you seek the benefits you need.
The Attorneys at KJT Law Group Can Help You Get Workers’ Compensation Benefits for Stress
If you suffer from stress or another mental health disorder because of your workplace, a workers’ compensation attorney from KJT Law Group can help. Our team has handled many workers’ compensation cases and understands the legal barriers you could face. Filing a workers’ compensation claim for stress can cause more legal issues than mere physical injuries. Stress can often be more difficult to prove.
Our team can build a case to help you get approval. Contact us today for a free case evaluation at (818) 507-8525. You can learn more about your options and whether you have the potential to get a workers’ compensation claim approval.
