A work-related injury can be an incredibly challenging situation. You are faced with concerns about your health and well-being while also facing the worry of being unable to work. Sometimes, work itself is the stressor, with a constant fear that you might face health risks, trauma, or even injury. Will workers’ compensation cover these mental health claims?
Is stress covered by workers’ comp in Florida? While every situation is different, it is important to know there are very specific rules about coverage for stress at work and whether it is covered under workers’ compensation claims.
If you are unsure how these rules apply to your situation, reach out to Ara Work Injury Law. Our legal team is always available to help you navigate your rights under the law.
Florida’s Strict Standards for Mental Health Claims
There are many instances in which work can create stress, but not every stressful situation, including those that create trauma, is covered under workers’ compensation laws in Florida. Specifically, mental or nervous injuries alone are not covered by workers’ compensation policies.
The only time stress is covered is when it stems specifically from a physical injury on the job. If there is no physical injury, it is very difficult to pursue and recover any losses from stress from your employer.
When Stress or PTSD May Be Compensable
Florida workers’ compensation mental health laws can be challenging to navigate. If you are facing anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and you believe it is from your job, there are limited situations in which you can pursue financial compensation for the loss. For example, if you are under tight deadlines and you are facing increasing anxiety, perhaps even suffering an anxiety attack, and head to the hospital for care, that care is not covered in many cases.
In situations where you are suffering from PTSD from an injury that caused you an injury, then it may be possible to file a claim. However, the injury must be due to work-related tasks. For example, if you are hurt in a car accident while on the job, and this causes trauma along with physical injuries, then you may be able to file a claim for PTSD onset as a result of that injury.
Call us at 561.934.3272 | 561.9343.ARA if you’ve been injured
in a Florida work-related accident
What to Know If You Are a First Responder
A first responder is a professional who heads into dangerous conditions to support others. They are firefighters, police officers, and paramedics. These individuals not only sacrifice their physical health in these situations, but also their mental health.
Florida workers’ compensation mental health claims are a bit different for first responders under the state’s laws. In situations where a person is working in dangerous conditions, the onset of PTSD may be more likely to occur. As a result, Florida’s workers’ compensation laws allow individuals in these situations to seek compensation for mental health challenges as they relate to the on-the-job incident.
If a first responder experiences a particularly troublesome event, such as watching someone die, they have the right to seek compensation for PTSD. This covers front-line workers who head to the scene of such incidents. However, even in these situations, it can prove to be challenging to recover fair damages. That makes it beneficial to call an attorney to help you navigate these situations.
Challenges and Importance of Legal Support
PTSD workers’ comp Florida coverage can be very limited, and for those who are facing serious mental health and emotional distress, that can be quite difficult to overcome. For this reason, it is often beneficial to work closely with an attorney who has ample experience in this area to help you demonstrate what your losses are and prove you are owed financial support for them.
It is very difficult to prove a condition like PTSD. It is even more challenging to prove that PTSD was the direct result of an accident that happened at work. Because of this, it is often denied as a workers’ compensation benefit.
If you are facing job-related stress workers’ comp does cover, you are likely to benefit from the help of an attorney. First, step up a consultation with our legal team to find out if we can show that your stress and onset of PTSD directly relate to the work you do. Even if you are unsure, let our attorneys help you navigate the outcome.
Then, let us gather the evidence necessary to prove what occurred and who is responsible. Our attorneys will help you in numerous ways:
- Demonstrate that a physical injury occurred at work and caused your PTSD or other work-related stress
- Speak to witnesses who can vouch for what occurred, as well as the impact it has had on your health and well-being
- Document the impact on your ability to continue to work
- Help you get mental health support so you can recover from these challenges
- Guide you in maximizing any claim you can file under workers’ compensation so you can work on healing
With the guidance of an attorney, you gain more knowledge about what your rights are as well as how we can use the evidence in your case to pursue fair compensation recovery for you. These are challenging cases, but there is no doubt that the challenges you may be facing now deserve financial compensation when they stem from the work you do.
Let Our Attorneys Fight for Your Florida Job-Related Stress Workers’ Comp Mental Health Claims
A Florida work injury lawyer with experience in mental health and stress injuries can help you navigate your options when it comes to trying to file for workers’ comp. Set up a free consultation with Ara Work Injury Law today to see how they can help. We will answer all your questions and provide insight into what rights you may have under the law for fair compensation. Do not settle your workers’ compensation claim until you speak to our legal team about the mental and emotional health impact this incident has had on your life and well-being.Call us at 561.934.3272 | 561.9343.ARA if you’ve been injured in a Florida work-related accident.
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