When a person is injured at work, they focus on their physical recovery. However, workplace injuries also take an emotional toll, which can be profound. Sadly, people may struggle with psychological wounds long after they recover physically. How can these wounds be overcome?
The Emotional Toll
Workers who are injured on the job may struggle with depression, anxiety, and other mental health issues. These issues negatively impact their quality of life while hindering the recovery process. They feel powerless and confused because they can no longer do their job. How will they pay the bills, will they be able to return to their job, and who will support the family? These questions are only a few of many that may run through their minds.
Talking with a lawyer for workers compensation can help to ease the strain.
Understanding the Trauma
Emotional distress cannot easily be defined. Every person exhibits different symptoms. They may be angry or confused. Hopelessness is common among those who can no longer work, and they struggle with fear and uncertainty about the future. The worker might find it difficult to concentrate. They could have mood swings or be easily startled, and many workers struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder. A person must recognize these symptoms to address them effectively.
The Emotional Effects of Physical Pain
Physical pain can have emotional consequences. This pain may lead to sadness and frustration, which exacerbates the pain, and a vicious cycle begins. When the injuries are permanent, the worker may become depressed. Their whole life changed in the blink of an eye. They may feel helpless and worry about becoming dependent on others. Those who are permanently disabled or disfigured as a result of the workplace accident often struggle the most, as do those with insufficient coping skills.
Addressing Mental Health Challenges Associated with a Workplace Accident
Victims of workplace accidents may seek compensation for their emotional injuries along with their physical ones. They don’t have to be the actual victims of the accident, either. If they witness a traumatic event at work, they may be able to receive workers’ compensation. Mental health is extremely important, and more people are recognizing that today.
However, any person seeking compensation under this insurance program may need an attorney to ensure fair treatment and compensation.
Seeking Compensation
The worker must know what is involved before seeking compensation for the emotional effects of a workplace injury. They will need a formal diagnosis from a licensed mental health professional, at a minimum. Additional documentation of the injuries will help provide their case and possibly increase the compensation received. The attorney will help each client determine how best to provide this proof.
One thing that will be needed is a statement showing how the injury has affected the worker’s daily life, and the attorney can also help with this. Their job is to show the defendant’s actions led to the worker’s emotional anguish while assisting the victim in finding support resources so they can gain the coping skills needed to move forward with life.
Personal injury attorneys who handle workers’ compensation claims advocate for clients. Victims deserve fair compensation for injuries, both seen and unseen, and the attorney works to ensure they get it. To do so, they present the case in a way that demonstrates the full extent of the injuries and the impact these injuries have had on the victim’s life. With their help, compensation is easier to obtain.
