Mental Health Issues in Workers’ Comp Cases

Generally, mental illness in and of itself such as high stress, anxiety, or depression, even when caused by work, is not compensable through the worker’s compensation system. In some rare circumstances, there may be exceptions for psychological or emotional damage arising out of the workplace.

In cases where mental health problems develop secondary to a physical trauma, however, mental health conditions can be compensable. These situations can include a psychological or nervous injury due to trauma, long-term exposure to stress, or other job-related factors.

There can be complicated limitations to coverage for such circumstances. However, mental illness that accompanies a work-related physical injury or trauma is compensable in most circumstances.

Many states also cover mental or emotional harm, but the standards for psychological coverage vary greatly from state to state. For instance, a doctor who develops depression related to his work in an emergency room typically would not be entitled to workers’ compensation.

On the other hand, a nurse who is attacked and physically injured by a patient and as a result develops anxiety could receive workers’ compensation benefits for the physical as well as the mental injury in most states.