In the unprecedented times we are now living in, mental health is a very real issue, especially for workers who are on the frontlines. As we have seen in the past few months, multiple law enforcement officers and healthcare workers have had mental breakdowns, with several even resulting in suicide.
While mental or psychiatric workers’ compensation claims are sometimes harder to get approved, they are viable, and workers are entitled to benefits for them. In the chaos of today’s world, one would think that it would not difficult to prove a mental health claim at all. Consider the things law enforcement officers are up against on a daily basis, attempting to corral violent protesters while still having to try and protect their own lives. Healthcare workers are watching multiple patients die every single day. They are exhausted. Yet, in order to have a workers’ compensation claim approved for mental health, they must be able to prove that their issues came only from the job itself, and not from any other events happening in their lives.
Another consideration of psychological or psychiatric workers compensation claims is that if a worker claims the issue arose from a certain job, then it would be expected for the issue to disappear once the worker left that job. Therefore, it becomes even more difficult to receive permanent disability for that particular problem in the future. Workers’ compensation can compensate for medical expenses and income during time off, but the worker would be expected to return to work upon recovery.
If you have had a workers’ compensation claim for mental health denied, an experienced attorney can help you appeal that decision and prove your case. Do not delay in scheduling a consult once a denial is received. Time is of the essence in a workers’ compensation claim.