Mental health stigmas no longer exist on the same level as they once did. With so many people speaking openly about struggles, it may have helped you decide to seek diagnosis and treatment for your struggles.
Can you file for workers’ compensation if you suspect your job impacts your mental health? Pennsylvania law does not allow you to seek workers’ comp benefits for mental health alone, but you may still qualify depending on the circumstances.
Did you suffer a work-related injury?
Under the law, you cannot file a workers’ compensation claim for your mental health. In Pennsylvania, you must show that a work-related injury occurred first. The mental health issue should relate to the physical injury. Note that the severity of the bodily injury or illness does not matter. You do not need a disabling injury to file for mental health benefits.
There is an exception to this physical-injury requirement. If you experienced a traumatic event while working, even if you have no underlying physical injury, workers’ compensation may apply to any mental health difficulties associated with the trauma.
What benefits might an insurer cover?
When a workers’ comp carrier accepts a claim for mental health, benefits may issue to cover a variety of things. Treatment covered may include therapy, counseling, psychiatric sessions and medication. Depending on the severity of the doctor’s findings, your mental health may require inpatient treatment, especially if you witnessed a traumatic work event. Benefits may cover part of your salary while out of work, and the treatment doctors indicate.
When your mental health declines after a work injury, it may not prove coincidental. If your doctor traces it back to your work-related incident, your claim may expand to include mental health care.
