Obtaining Benefits for Stress-Related Health Problems
WORKERS’ COMP LAWYERS HELP EMPLOYEES DISABLED DUE TO HIGH-PRESSURE ENVIRONMENTS
Stressful work environments and situations can also cause compensable injuries and ailments. This is common in a job in which there is constant pressure to meet deadlines and quotas or to get more done in less time or with less staff. Stress can also come from coping with harassment and dangerous work conditions or as the result of a sudden, violent act. At Goldschmid, Silver & Spindel, our attorneys help Los Angeles workers who suffer stress on the job obtain the benefits they deserve.
CONSEQUENCES OF HIGH-STRESS ENVIRONMENTS
High-stress business environments can exact a physical and/or emotional toll on workers. Medical research demonstrates that stress can manifest itself in damage to the body, such as:
- Cardiovascular damage and heart attack
- High blood pressure
- Fibromyalgia
- Digestive problems
- Headaches
- Exhaustion
In addition, stressful work environments can cause psychiatric or emotional injuries.
RECOVERING WORKERS’ COMP BENEFITS FOR PSYCHIATRIC INJURIES
People who sustain stress-related injuries on the job are entitled to the same workers’ compensation benefits as other injured workers. However, claims of psychiatric or emotional injuries or can be tough to prove, due to the high bar set by California law.
A psychiatric injury can be compensated if it is a mental disorder that causes the worker disability or requires medical treatment. The worker must demonstrate that actual employment events were the predominant cause of the disorder. In the case of a significant violent act, the worker need only show the event was a substantial cause, meaning it was 35 to40 percent of the cause of the injury.
The worker must have been employed by the employer for at least six months, unless the injury was caused by a sudden and extraordinary employment condition.
Employers and their insurance companies vigorously defend claims of psychiatric or emotional injuries. They often try to dispute the existence or extent of the injury or to dispute the causative relationship of the work environment, argue that the pressure was not that bad or that the workload was voluntary and not required by the company. They minimize the potential impact of workplace harassment or persistent work in a dangerous environment. They often argue that stress from home or other outside commitments are the cause. And, they often assert that impact from stress is made up.
Our attorneys have experience recovering benefits for physical and psychological injuries caused by stress at work in Los Angeles. We investigate and document the source of the stress and obtain required medical records to support the workers’ comp claim. Throughout, our attorneys endeavor to make the claim process as stress-free as possible.
Contact our Los Angeles workers’ compensation attorneys for help with stress-related claims
With more than 150 years of combined experience, Goldschmid, Silver & Spindel champions workers injured through high-intensity work situations. We accept cases on a contingent fee basis, so that we get paid only if we get your benefits approved. To learn more about how our firm can help you, schedule a free consultation by calling 213-251-5900 or contacting our Los Angeles office online.
