When people discuss workplace injuries and workers’ compensation, they generally refer to physical ailments and injuries brought on by work conditions or accidents. However, not all painful injuries are purely physical. In some cases, an employee may suffer emotional or mental harm in a work environment. While these injuries are more difficult to diagnose and understand, they are still very much real injuries, and should be addressed as such.
In some cases, emotional injuries may serve as grounds for a worker’s compensation claim, but the employee filing the claim must meet a few standards. First, it is important to demonstrate that the injury itself is actually work related. An attorney can help you better understand the specifics that apply in your circumstances, but you’ll need to prove that some particular aspect of your job is actually to blame for your emotional harm.
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Especially in these areas of workplace injury, it is very helpful to have professional guidance from an experienced attorney who understands how to navigate California’s workers’ compensation programs. With legal counsel from an attorney, you can focus on recovery while the attorney protects your rights and fights for all the benefits you deserve.
Source: Findlaw, “Can I Get Workers’ Comp for Anxiety and Emotional Distress?,” accessed Oct. 13, 2017