Your job duties might be stressful enough for workers’ comp
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By
Kiwan & Chambers APC
Stress on the job can be overwhelming. In California, workers can file a stress-related workers’ compensation claim if their job duties cause significant mental or emotional stress. Understanding what it takes to file such a claim is important for any worker facing high levels of job-related stress. Recognizing work-related stress Work-related stress can come from various sources. Long hours, high pressure, tight deadlines and difficult relationships with colleagues or supervisors can contribute to stress. When this stress becomes severe, it can impact mental and physical health. Signs of severe stress include anxiety, depression, sleep problems and physical symptoms like headaches or stomach issues. Requirements for a stress-related claim The California Department of Industrial Relations outlines compensable psychiatric injuries. To start a claim for such an injury, you must demonstrate that your job caused the stress. You must also demonstrate that the stress was greater than what you experience in the usual course of employment. This means proving that the work conditions were unusually stressful compared to other jobs in the same field or that your employer did not take reasonable action to prevent psychiatric injury. The need for medical evidence Providing medical evidence is a necessary step in any type of workers’ compensation claim. In the case of a stress-related claim, a licensed physician must diagnose you with a mental health condition or psychiatric injury directly caused by job-related stress. The diagnosis must be specific and based on your unique medical history and symptoms. Filing a stress-related workers’ compensation claim in California can be challenging, but it is possible with the right steps. Take the time to understand the steps you can take to recognize undue stress and pursue compensation for it. This can help you overcome high levels of stress in the course of your job.The post Your job duties might be stressful enough for workers’ comp first appeared on Kiwan & Chambers, APC.
