Most workplaces have safety measures and health and well-being tips to keep workers and employees safe while on the job. Unfortunately, accidents can still happen in the workplace, and many companies provide workers’ compensation for injured workers. But what happens if your injury is a result of mental or emotional stress?
New York covers trauma-related injuries
You can experience undue stress in any occupation. Jobs that involve emotionally high stakes, such as police work or firefighting, are especially likely to leave a person feeling mentally or emotionally unable to cope with the tough things they may have seen.
Under New York’s workers’ compensation laws, if you sustain a mental injury that stems from a traumatic workplace event, you can file a workers’ compensation claim for the damages that resulted from your suffering.
Protect your rights
Mental injuries can be just as debilitating as physical injuries. They can make it challenging to get around and interact with people. A psychological injury can even interfere with day-to-day tasks like sleeping or eating.
However, sometimes a mental injury claim can be difficult to prove. You must be able to show that your job caused acute anxiety, stress or other psychological injury and that your injury has prevented you from returning to work or doing your job effectively.
However, just because many mental injury claims are unsuccessful doesn’t mean that workers’ compensation doesn’t cover them. You have the right to protect yourself and recover from any work-related injury that keeps you from earning a wage.
What you need for a strong claim
After you file a claim, a court may ask to conduct a psychological evaluation to determine the extent of your injury. You may also bring in psychiatrists, therapists and psychologists who might be able to back your claim. Overall, you will need to prove that your mental injury was due to stress or trauma outside of what a court might consider normal for your work environment.
An experienced workers’ compensation attorney may be a beneficial addition to your claim. They can help build an aggressive case so that you can fight for the compensation you need to recover from your psychological injury.
