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Deadlines are looming, you have yet another meeting to face, your inbox is full of work that will take overtime to finish, you have to learn the new computer system your company switched to, your phone is ringing, your email is notifying you of more things to read. It’s one thing after another and another and another. You feel tightness in your chest, dizzy, unable to concentrate, panicked, trapped – what is happening?
Most of us have probably felt stressed at some point in our careers. The vast majority of jobs have an element of stress. However, what if your work stresses you out to the point of major health consequences? In that case, are you able to file a claim for workers’ compensation when your employer fails to alleviate the stress that is affecting your wellbeing?
Imagine being stressed to the point where you can’t complete everyday activities anymore. That is something that some workers are facing when they go into work every day and their physical and/or mental state deteriorates due to the amount of stress that they are under. It might feel like there’s no way out. You need answers and fast – that’s where Gould Injury Law can help. Contact us today for a free consultation at 888-WIN-FAST.
Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Laws and Stress
Connecticut workers’ compensation law can be complicated, no matter the type of workplace injury. On the other hand, injuries related to stress in the workplace can be even more difficult to prove. Traditionally, workers’ compensation insurance only tends to cover physical injuries or diseases. Trying to win a claim from your employer’s insurance company for a mental or emotional injury requires more exceptional circumstances.
Essentially, your stress must go beyond normal levels and be severe enough to interfere with your ability to do your job. The stressors must also stem from work-related duties. For example, you can’t be stressed out about a family member’s illness and collect workers’ compensation from your employer for stress-related anxiety, as your stressor doesn’t originate with your work.
In Connecticut workers’ compensation cases, there are laws about specific industries as well. For example, certain first responders may be eligible for workers’ compensation for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) if they were diagnosed after witnessing a qualifying event. The events are extreme enough to cause mental and emotional problems for those who were responding and trying to help.
The Workers’ Compensation Process
Still, even for an eligible person who suffered after a qualifying event, it can be difficult to prove a connection between what that person was exposed to on the job and link it directly to his or her current mental health condition. In addition, there is a time limit between when the incident occurs and when a workers’ compensation claim may be made. In Connecticut, it must be filed within 1 year of the incident or within 3 years of the onset of occupational disease symptoms. That’s why it’s important to get started on your workers’ comp claims as fast as possible.
Filing for workers’ compensation in Connecticut is a fairly straightforward process. You first have to file a notice of your injury or symptoms with your employer and with the Workers’ Compensation Commission office. After notifying them, you can apply to receive lost wage benefits, and you should be compensated for your medical and hospital bills – or have them covered directly if you go to the insurance company’s providers.
However, visiting a doctor or medical professional that your employer’s insurance company recommends may not be your ideal option. The entity paying the medical bills doesn’t want your suffering to be work-related, and that may affect your diagnosis or treatment in some cases. The best thing to do is to speak to a personal injury lawyer who knows Connecticut workers’ compensation laws and will be able to get to the bottom of your claim and fast.
Additionally, this process does become more complicated if an employer challenges your claim, as you have the burden to prove that your injury or illness is a direct result of your work. Insurance companies want to pay as little as possible, so it is likely that they will resist paying your workers’ compensation benefits.
Remember: you don’t have to fight the insurance companies alone. There are lawyers at Gould Injury Law who have the answers to your questions and can get started on your case fast.
If You’re Stressed At Work, Don’t Give Up!
We know that job stress can cause physical illness and psychological disturbances. You shouldn’t have to face immense mental strain just to try and make a living. There are laws to protect you, and you need fast answers to your questions.
Whether you’ve suffered physical symptoms of stress or mental symptoms such as anxiety, depression, insomnia, you may be able to receive compensation. Of course, each personal injury case is different, but there is a Connecticut case law that has allowed benefits for people who suffered a serious health event due to the stress of their jobs.
While stress may move in fast, we respond even faster! Gould Injury Law offers free consultations so you can get legal advice without any obligation.
We know that getting workers’ compensation coverage for job-related PTSD, anxiety, depression, or other mental or emotional injuries in Connecticut can be difficult. But it is not impossible!
If you have been suffering, remember you don’t have to go through this alone. Take your first step towards hope and contact a Connecticut workers’ compensation lawyer with Gould Injury Law – call 888-WIN-FAST today.