Physical and Mental Stress at the Workplace
If you get hurt on the job due to physical or emotional stress, an injury attorney will help you determine how to seek compensation. In some cases, you’ll be walked through the steps to file a workers’ compensation claim.
If the employer is at fault for the accident, the lawyer may handle litigation of a personal injury suit instead. Before filling out workers’ comp paperwork or preparing for your injury case, it’s wise to have an understanding of work-related stress injuries.
How Physical Stress Is Defined & Proven
A physical stress injury gradually develops from doing a repetitive task. This includes typing, lifting, and tossing heavy boxes, and using machinery that leads to musculoskeletal disorders or nerve damage. These injuries are proven with medical records, treatment plans, and doctor notes connecting the injury to job duties. Workers’ comp covers medical benefits and supplements income until you can fully return to the workforce.
The claim process must be started within a certain time frame, so speak to an injury lawyer about the statute of limitations in your state. In Iowa, for example, people have 90 days to inform their employer and the company’s insurance provider of the accident. An attorney will also help you prepare for the medical examination that the insurance carrier conducts.
How Emotional Stress Is Defined & Proven
If you witnessed or were involved in an accident that has had a grave impact on your emotional well-being, your injury attorney will help you sue for damages to cover your pain and suffering. A claim for emotional distress is often filed when seeking damages for physical injuries.
Colleagues, family members, and other witnesses can testify to the changes in your mood and behavior, including an increase in panic attacks, depression, and insomnia, since the accident. Journals and therapist notes can be submitted as evidence highlighting how the accident has made it difficult to concentrate and function on and off the job. Medical records that shed light on the scope of your physical injuries can be used to prove why your emotional health has been impacted.
How to Manage Work-Related Stress
To protect your physical health at work, use back braces, wrist wraps, and other devices that support tendons, bones, ligaments, and muscles when performing physically taxing duties. Ask your employer for an ergonomic chair, desk, and keyboard to ensure proper body alignment. You should also take regular breaks to minimize body aches.
To reduce or manage emotional stress, schedule routine sessions with an occupational therapist. The clinicians teach strategies and techniques to help patients adapt to their roles in the workplace while caring for their emotional needs.
If work-related stress persists, contact The Law Offices of Gallner & Pattermann, P.C. in Council Bluffs, IA. Serving Pottawattamie County clients since 1974, the injury attorneys will listen to the circumstances of your situation and decide whether to file for workers’ comp or take your grievance to court.
Read client testimonials online for a better idea of how the counselors will advocate for you, and call (712) 323-0999 for a consultation.