Work-related injuries take many forms. Physical injuries are visible and present a variety of symptoms. Mental health injuries aren’t visible, but they may have physical symptoms that can make it difficult for a person to perform their duties while on the job and even harder to deal with their personal duties at home.
Workers’ compensation insurance will cover mental health injuries that can be proven to be directly caused by their employment. This may need to be supported by a traditional medical doctor as well as a mental health professional who specializes in depression, PTSD, and stress/anxiety-related mental illnesses. Let’s learn more about mental health and workers’ compensation.
Who Is Eligible for Workers’ Compensation?
Workers’ compensation insurance is a mandatory requirement for every business in the country that employs a minimum number of employees. All employees may be covered under a Workers’ comp policy. This includes independent contractors if they must follow the company’s hours and use the materials being supplied to them. Eligibility is determined by each state and how they view employment. For many, eligibility often extends farther than just being listed on the payroll.
How Do You Prove a Mental Illness Is Work-Related?
Because a mental illness is not easily seen, it can be much harder to diagnose and even harder to connect to your job. All types of jobs involve some level of stress. Continued stomach upset, chronic headaches, and hypertension can all be directly related to a person’s job. They often accompany PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. High levels of stress can also lead to chronic heart conditions. Individuals who visit a mental health professional and are diagnosed with any of these conditions might be able to attribute them to their job if the symptoms began after they started working.
Common Mental Health Conditions That May Be Work-Related?
The pressures of working in an environment where an employee must meet strict deadlines or quotas can be overwhelming for some. Depression, anxiety, and PTSD can result in a person not being able to perform the duties of their job. Chronic stomach issues and headaches may cause them to miss work regularly. Anxiety and high levels of stress can make an employee lose confidence and make unnecessary mistakes. The longer mental health conditions go untreated, the more dangerous they can be for the employee. Not only can their physical health deteriorate into a state of unwellness, but their mental and emotional health can also lead to severe depression and possibly suicidal thoughts.
The Bottom Line
Understanding how mental health affects the physical body is important if you want to file a claim against your employer’s workers’ comp insurance. You will need to have all of your medical records as well as a diagnosis of some form of mental illness that can be traced directly back to your employment. It is up to you to prove that your mental illness is a direct result of the constant stressors of your job.
Consult Reardon Insurance Agency to Cover All Your Medical Bills
Contact the agents of the Reardon Insurance Agency to learn more about the claims process when your injury includes a mental illness. Whether it’s a physical condition or a mental one, we will help cover all your medical bills. We have years of experience and are always willing to answer your questions! Call us today to learn more!
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