While many Florence workers know they can receive workers’ compensation benefits for physical injuries suffered on the job, not many know about the connection between mental health and workers’ compensation. If you suffer from mental health injuries at work, you might be entitled to seek benefits from the workers’ comp system. However, there are unique challenges that come with trying to prove your mental health injury is due to your work.
Workers’ Compensation Coverage for Mental Health Injuries in Florence
South Carolina’s workers’ compensation coverage includes three main types of benefits that employees suffering from work-related mental health injuries in Florence can seek:
- Medical benefits cover the reasonable and necessary medical expenses related to your workplace injury. Mental health injuries may include prescription medications and therapy.
- Wage-loss benefits cover a portion of the wages your mental health injuries caused you to lose. These benefits begin after your injury has kept you out of work for at least seven days.
- Permanent disability benefits provide compensation if your mental health injury permanently impacts your ability to work.
Challenges in Claiming Workers’ Compensation for Mental Health
Obtaining workers’ compensation for work-related stress, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and other mental health injuries is often more challenging than obtaining it for physical injuries. That is because, while many physical injuries are visible, mental health challenges typically are not.
The first challenge in your workers’ compensation claim is to prove to your employer and the insurance company that you are suffering from a mental health injury. Medical records detailing your diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment are crucial evidence for establishing that your psychological injuries exist and their severity.
The second challenge is to prove that your mental health concerns are work-related. Your employer and their insurance company will likely argue that your poor mental health is due to your personal experiences outside of work. However, our experienced workers’ comp attorneys can help you gather and present the evidence to show that your work directly caused your injury.
Another challenge you may face is if the insurance company claims your mental health condition is a pre-existing injury. Fortunately, you can receive workers’ compensation for an aggravation of a pre-existing injury caused by your job.
Employer Responsibilities for Workplace Mental Health
Employers are responsible for providing employees with a physically and mentally safe working environment. That means eliminating or mitigating factors that lead to severe anxiety and stress among workers and encouraging workers to address mental health issues.
How Our SC Workers’ Compensation Lawyers Can Help with Mental Health Claims
At Jebaily Law Firm, our South Carolina workers’ compensation lawyers can help you gather the evidence necessary to prove you are suffering from a mental health injury and that your injury is work-related. We’ll also represent you in negotiations with the insurance company and can help you appeal your case if the insurance company initially denies your claim or undervalues your benefits for work-related mental health issues.
Contact our law firm today for a free consultation with a skilled Florence workers’ comp lawyer. Our legal team is prepared to put our knowledge and experience to work in your mental health-related claim.
