Is mental health covered part of workers’ compensation claims in Mississippi? Typically, if you are injured in an accident, you may need to see an emergency doctor, pain relief doctor, and/or other specialists. You may need to work with physiotherapists, occupational therapists, and professional therapists as well. Has your pain caused emotional trauma? Or what if the incident did not physically harm you in any way, but affected your mental health? At this point, you should know that you can file a workers’ compensation claim in Mississippi for the moral or emotional damage that accompanied your physical injury.
Mental illness is one of the most common illnesses in the United States, as shown in a study done by the Centers for Disease Control Prevention (CDC):
- More than 50% of people will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lives
- One-fifth of Americans will develop a mental illness in any given year
- Almost every other child has faced a seriously debilitating mental illness
- 1 in 25 Americans suffer from serious mental illnesses; these include bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, or major depression
Employees can also file a mental health injury claim when there was no physical harm, but there are certain conditions for doing so:
- You must be able to demonstrate that the conditions in the workplace are caused by your depression, anxiety, or other psychological and behavioral problems. Most employers’ insurance companies will try to argue that their mental health problems are caused by family stress and other conditions outside the workplace.
- In general, regardless of whether you have been physically harmed, you must show that unusual conditions in the workplace have caused your mental health problems. Some of the examples include:
- Assault or physical attack at work
- Threats of physical abuse at work
- Shot or explosion at work
- Systematic harassment at work
For many jobs, such as retail or professional services workers, stress or mental health problems might be uncommon, which usually does not occur during shifts such as those listed above.
First Responders and Mental Health Workers’ Compensation:
Police and firefighters have a very difficult job when they need to respond quickly to emergencies. The cops may have to shoot someone. They often see the worst kinds of people or some gruesome and unpleasant sights during their jobs. Both officers and firefighters can feel guilty for not doing more, even if that guilt is not justified. First aid providers also often have to work with people in pain and frequently find themselves in homes along with dying people or even dead bodies. While this is a natural consequence of their job, mental health problems from high-stress jobs can often justify workers’ compensation claims.
Steps to Take If You Are Suffering from Anxiety, Stress, Or Depression at Work:
In Mississippi, where there are no physical injuries, you will need to show that the stress was the result of something that happened besides the usual incidents at work, such as a curse. For example, on a construction site, being a woman and getting the job done can be quite tough. Getting robbed or being stalked because of your gender should not happen in the workplace and it could be traumatic.
Workers who begin to feel uncomfortable, anxious, or depressed should immediately inform their supervisor so that treatment can begin as soon as possible. You should eliminate mental health problems at the earliest before they build up and have the potential to result in a ripple effect. Often talking to psychologists and psychiatrists can assist workers to speed up their recovery process and get back to work. If mental health problems are left untreated, they can lead to physical problems such as high blood pressure, heart attack, and possibly suicide.
Contact Us to Oversee Your Workers’ Compensation Claims in Mississippi:
Do not feel like you cannot receive workers’ compensation claims in Mississippi because of potential mental health problems. It is very clearly understood by experienced workers’ compensation attorneys that many arguments can justify a mental health claim. Also, if an employer or the insurance company denies a workers’ compensation claim, the employee can consult with an attorney for advice. Attorney fees are withheld from any cash benefits the employee receives and cannot exceed 25% of the total award.
For any unrest due to your work environment or certain work events that impair your mental health, call us or fill out our contact form to make an appointment. We have been fighting for Mississippi employees for over 40 years. Our compensation attorneys represent workers in all industries and professions in Mississippi.
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