Mental Health Coverage In Workers’ Compensation

Most Americans spend a significant portion of their lives in the work environment. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), the work environment experienced daily by employees is a predominant cause of mental health problems in the United States. mental health conditions, such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, and suicide ideation impact all aspects of an individual’s life, including their interactions at home as well as in the workplace. Unfortunately, insurers and the general population have been slow to recognize mental health problems as genuine medical issues deserving of the same coverage as physical conditions and injuries. Recently; however, a growing number of states have acknowledged mental health problems as work-related and equally deserving of treatment and compensation. Missouri workers’ compensation allows employees to claim compensation through workers’ compensation insurance if their job has caused them to suffer from mental health problems.

Read on to learn about the benefits from a St. Louis workers’ compensation lawyer.

When Does Missouri Workers’ Compensation Cover Mental Health Treatment?

Firefighters, police officers, and other first responders have long been eligible for compensation for PTSD and other emotional disorders. Now the law expands those benefits to cover those suffering from work-related mental health problems in situations such as the following:

• After a physical injury: sometimes the impacts of an injury such as temporary or permanent disability cause mental health problems like depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Life-altering injuries have impacts on the injury victim’s way of life and are not restricted to their career
• After a traumatic incident in the workplace, such as witnessing a workplace fatality, mutilation, explosion, or other trauma
• When a hostile work environment such as harassment, discrimination, bullying, or retaliation causes mental health problems

Missouri workers’ compensation may provide benefits for mental health problems due to other workplace situations as well as the above, but in the above circumstances, it’s not difficult to prove a correlation between a workplace condition and its impacts on mental health. To qualify for workers’ compensation benefits, it’s necessary to provide a diagnosis by a qualified mental health professional and to show that the condition interferes with the employee’s ability to work.

What Benefits Are Available for Mental Health Coverage In Missouri Workers’ Compensation?

Workers’ compensation pays for medical treatment, including for mental health conditions, providing the employee seeks treatment through an approved provider on their employer’s list. They also receive 66 ⅔%  of their standard weekly pay.

How Can a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Help?

Filing a workers’ compensation claim can be a complex process, especially for intangible mental health conditions requiring substantial confirmation through a mental health professional and evidence that the condition is the direct result of the job or workplace. At the Floyd Law Firm, P.C., we understand the serious impacts of mental health conditions on an individual’s ability to accomplish daily tasks, earn a living, and enjoy a good quality of life. An experienced Missouri workers’ compensation lawyer is the best way to move forward on your claim with the maximum chances of a favorable outcome.

Contact The Floyd Law Firm, P.C. today so we can hear the details of your case and take prompt action on your behalf.