North Chicago & St. Louis Injury Updates
Workers’ compensation insurance is available to anyone who sustains an injury while they are at work or performing their work-related duties. When most people think of workers’ compensation, they think of specific sudden-onset traumas such as broken bones, head injuries, lacerations, etc.
However, there are various other types of injuries that could also qualify an employee for workers’ compensation benefits. In Illinois, this could include compensation for work-related anxiety or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but only under certain circumstances.
If you have experienced some sort of extreme stress or anxiety caused by the workplace, never assume that you do not have a valid workers’ compensation claim. You should speak to a skilled workers’ compensation attorney in Chicago about your case as soon as possible.
How Would A Person Qualify For Workers’ Comp For Anxiety Or Stress?
Anxiety and/or stress by itself will typically not be enough for a person to receive workers’ compensation benefits in Illinois. Yes, many jobs create a significant amount of stress on employees, but that does not automatically entitle them to workers’ compensation benefits.
However, if an employee suffers from an event in the workplace that causes sudden or unexpected stress, they could be entitled to receive benefits. This could include a sudden traumatic incident, such as an employee being attacked when they are making a delivery as part of their job duties. The attack could lead to the worker suffering from extensive anxiety and even PTSD. Because the worker was performing operations within their normal duties at the time of the attack, this could make them eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
In most situations, a worker will not be entitled to receive benefits unless their anxiety or stress was the result of something physical happening along with it. To contrast how this would work, we should examine a person whose boss continually yells or screams at them. In and of itself, the yelling and screaming will not lead to a person being able to recover workers’ compensation benefits, even if they are stressed out about the incident. However, if the boss screams and yells at a person while also punching them in the face, and the worker has a mental breakdown because of this assault, they may be able to receive workers’ compensation benefits for both their physical injuries as well as their anxiety and stress that arise due to the assault.
In order for a worker to qualify for this type of compensation, anxiety or stress must be severe enough to inhibit their ability to do their job. Again, most people do suffer some sort of anxiety or stress at work, but this will typically not rise to the level of them being unable to work.
Work With An Attorney To Help With Your Case
Our Chicago personal injury attorneys offer a free consultation and are able to examine the initial facts of your case. If you have a valid claim, an attorney will help ensure that you meet all the deadlines in place for filing a workers’ compensation claim in Illinois. Additionally, an attorney will ensure that you are evaluated by a trusted medical and mental healthcare professional to ensure that your condition is fully diagnosed so you can recover the compensation you deserve.