Many people think workers’ compensation includes someone who has suffered a physical injury at work, such as falling from a high ledge, getting crushed by machinery, or even losing a finger in a mechanical accident. However, workers’ compensation covers more than only accidents-related injuries. It also provides benefits to those who get ill due to their jobs, including those who suffer from mental illnesses because of their jobs.
You can seek consultation with an expert by starting your search with Workers’ Compensation Lawyers near me.
How Do I Justify Emotional Distress?
Before you may claim emotional anguish, you must show that it was caused by accident. The following steps can be used to demonstrate emotional distress:
- Examine the ways in which the accident has affected you emotionally. Fear, worry, weeping, loss of sleep, sadness, and humiliation are all instances of emotional discomfort. To demonstrate the event’s emotional impact, you might use your personal story, testimonials from friends and family, and journaling of your disorder over time.
- Further information concerning the cause of the consequences in general, including the duration and severity of bodily injuries, should be included in your evidence.
- When filing a legal compensation claim, don’t forget to include emotional distress damages. Emotional anguish may be included in a lawsuit involving bodily injuries and other damages. In some situations, negligent infliction of emotional distress can be pursued as a separate legal claim.
- Pursue your compensation claim through the legal system, including gathering further evidence, developing a legal strategy, and negotiating a reasonable settlement.
A Compensable Accident Or Disease Causes Mental Stress
Another circumstance in which someone may be eligible for a mental stress award is if the stress is caused by an accident or sickness covered by the Virginia workers’ compensation system.
An example of this exemption would be if you were bedridden for several months due to a back injury that prohibited you from working. You then experienced acute depression as a result of the injury and its effects.
To be clear, the treating physician would have to confirm the link between the injuries and the depression in this situation. You can not just claim you’ve been depressed.
If you have experienced mental stress or believe you have developed a stress-related disorder as a result of something because of your work, you should get in touch with a skilled Virginia workers’ compensation attorney.
