Many Oklahoma workers may consider their jobs to be stressful even under normal circumstances, but there are times when excessive stress can negatively affect your mental and physical wellbeing both at home and at work.
If workplace stress is ongoing, it can lead to bouts of anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues that, in some cases, may lead you to wonder if you are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits for job stress.
In Oklahoma, while employees are allowed to seek compensation for injuries or illnesses suffered while performing work duties, your ability to obtain benefits for job-related stress that leads to depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is restricted. State law only allows for compensation if an emotional injury is the result of an accompanying physical injury.
Some of the more common types of emotional injuries that are eligible for workers’ comp benefits include:
- Mental injury resulting from an accompanying physical injury – When a worker suffers emotional injury as the result of a work-related physical injury, workers’ comp benefits are required to cover both mental and physical injuries
- Mental injury caused by a traumatic workplace incident – A worker may be entitled to workers’ comp benefits if he or she suffers a mental injury caused by someone else’s physical injury. For example, a worker witnesses a co-worker’s horrific accident or death and is diagnosed with PTSD, which causes chemical changes in the witness’ brain that results in brain injury.
- Direct mental injury – A worker may be eligible for workers’ comp benefits if he or she suffers a direct mental injury as the result of extraordinary work conditions such as bullying or harassment, or is a victim of assault or other violent crime in the workplace.
Has your mental health been affected by a workplace injury? If so, seek legal representation from the attorneys at Armstrong & Vaught, P.L.C. right away. Our attorneys have the legal resources and experience you need to successfully win benefits for your work-related mental illness. Call us at (918) 582-2500 or toll-free at (800) 722-8880 or complete the simple form below for a free consultation with a skilled attorney.