- December 4, 2021
- Workers' Compensation
North Carolina’s work comp system is pretty efficient when you have a North Carolina workers’ compensation attorney on your case. Your lawyers will analyze your situation and come up with the best strategies to guarantee your maximum benefits. They’re especially necessary for complicated work comp cases that require lots of experience to navigate.
Complications in North Carolina worker’s compensation cases can arise in many ways. It can be hard to determine if your case is compensable under North Carolina’s work comp in some situations. For example, while many physical injuries are compensable and easy to prove, mental conditions pose many challenges.
So, if you’re wondering whether you’ll get compensation benefits for your work-induced mental illness, you’ll find answers here. We’ll also discuss the common types of work-related mental conditions in North Carolina. Furthermore, you’ll learn the steps to take after a work-related mental illness.
What Are the Common Types of Work-Related Mental Illnesses in North Carolina?
The following are common mental health issues North Carolina employees face in their workplaces:
-
Anxiety and Depression
According to the CDC, in 2016, 71% of adults reported at least one stress symptom, such as feeling overwhelmed or anxious. Toxic work environments can cause those symptoms and lead to depression in the workplace.
-
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
You will usually develop PTSD after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event at your workplace. For example, you may develop the condition after a work-related car accident. Common symptoms of PTSD include anxiety, distressing flashbacks, guilt, shame, etc. Sometimes, these symptoms heighten when you’re stressed or remember a traumatic event.
-
Insomnia
Insomnia is a medical disorder that prevents you from falling asleep or sleeping for long hours. This mental condition is closely associated with other mental health illnesses like depression and anxiety.
-
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a rare chronic mental disorder that affects a person’s thinking and behavior. Many times, schizophrenic patients lose touch with reality. Although the causes of schizophrenia remain unknown, psychiatrists believe that it can be associated with toxic environments and traumatizing events.
Will North Carolina Work Comp Cover My Psychological Injuries?
Under North Carolina’s worker’s compensation, you can get benefits for your work-related mental impairments. However, to qualify for compensation, you must meet certain requirements. For example, your mental condition must be due to a work accident or an occupational disease.
We discuss some of the known qualifications below.
-
Mental Illness Due to an Accident on the Job
To be eligible for workers’ compensation, you must prove that your injuries resulted from a workplace accident. That applies to physical injuries as well as mental or psychological ones. Most times, it is the physical injuries that lead to mental ones.
-
Psychological Injuries Resulting From Occupational Diseases
Apart from workplace accidents, employees can develop mental injuries due to occupational diseases. Occupational diseases refer to illnesses that present themselves in specific industries or occupations.
That is, they are medical conditions that arise because of the nature of your work. For example, occupational hearing loss is common in employees that work in noisy environments.
For your mental injuries to fall under occupational diseases, you must prove that:
- Your condition is peculiar to employees in your profession or occupation. That is, your mental ailment is due to conditions that are specific to your profession.
- It’s not a common disease that the general public is exposed to. That is, you have more risk of exposure to the illness than the public.
What To Do After a Work-Related Mental Impairment in North Carolina
After you notice a work-related mental impairment, the first thing to do is to report it to your employer. Next, you must seek medical treatment and attention for your mental condition. You must also contact your Charlotte work comp lawyer as soon as possible. Your attorney will handle the necessary paperwork and instruct you on the next steps to take.
Talk to Your North Carolina Work Comp Lawyer Immediately
Are you experiencing symptoms of a mental condition as a result of an accident at your job? Did you sustain a mental illness as a result of an occupational disease? Then you can get ample worker’s compensation with help from an experienced Charlotte workers’ compensation attorney.
Our workers’ compensation lawyers in Charlotte, NC, understand the challenges you’ll encounter when pursuing compensation for work-related mental injuries. As such, we’ll carefully evaluate your case to ensure that you navigate the likely bottlenecks seamlessly. In addition, as we fight for your rights, we’ll expect no financial obligations from you till you get your compensation. So, give us a call immediately to schedule a free case review with a competent work comp legal professional.
