Missouri Workers Comp for Mental Health

Missouri recognizes work-related mental health issues as compensable under your workers’ compensation insurance.

But are mental health issues compensable under workers comp? This article will discuss situations when mental health issues may be compensated under workers’ compensation insurance.

Mental Health Claims

Employees in Missouri can generally claim workers’ compensation settlement for the following mental disorders:

• Chronic stress
• Depression
• Post-traumatic stress disorder
• Anxiety

However, employees must sufficiently demonstrate that their psychological conditions are work-related. This is often easier to accomplish with experienced legal guidance.

When Does Workers’ Comp Apply to Mental Health Disorder

With no clear threshold for determining the correlation between work and mental health issues, the law highlights certain criteria for mental health compensation. These criteria are, namely:

Mental Health Issues After Physical Injury

Employees who suffer severe injuries may experience mental health issues during and after recovery. This is primarily the case with employees who experience physical disability after their injuries. Certain disabilities can be life-changing and affect every aspect of employees’ lives, including their careers, relationships, hobbies, and aspirations. 

It’s easy for such employees to sink into depression or suffer other psychological disorders. Treatment for these conditions is necessary to help them get back on their feet. In such cases, workers’ compensation covers therapeutic and medical treatments.

Mental Health Complications After Traumatic Work Incidents

Employees may experience psychological trauma without a physical injury. This is especially true with first responders. Employees may receive treatment to help them through traumatic experiences.

Mental Issues Because of a Poor Work Environment

Some work environments are hostile and inconducive to employees’ mental health. Employees who experience harassment, bullying, and discrimination may feel hurt, lonely, and isolated. If this describes your working conditions, consider reporting to management. That way, you can use the report to prove your mental health issues when filing your workers’ comp claim.

Legal Assistance for Your Workers’ Comp Claim

Missouri recognizes work-related mental health issues as compensable under your workers’ compensation insurance. Claims of your mental health issues must be diagnosed and substantiated by a qualified mental health expert before you can receive any compensation.Working with an experienced Missouri workers’ comp attorney can help expedite your workers’ comp claim. If you need a skilled and experienced lawyer to assist with filing your workers’ comp claim, look no further than The Law Office of James. M. Hoffman. Contact us today for a free case evaluation.