After a person has a workers’ compensation claim denied, this person may want to appeal that decision. Scheduling a consultation with a workers’ compensation lawyer in Granite City, IL is advisable. This attorney can review the evidence and determine whether this claim realistically has a good chance in the appeals process. Anyone interested in scheduling a consultation can visit the website of one particular law firm offering this complimentary service.
Psychological Trauma
An example of a problematic case would be one in which the person says that the job caused mental illness. In some instances, workers’ comp can be approved because of psychological trauma, as long as that emotional trauma is not a potential aspect of this particular occupation. A police officer may not be successful at claiming workers’ comp for post-traumatic stress after a violent encounter with a criminal, for example, but this is a potential risk of the job.
However, a violent incident occurring in an office, factory, or restaurant could cause post-traumatic stress in an employee. That intense anxiety or the development of panic attacks can make it very difficult to continue working full-time. A workers’ compensation lawyer in Granite City, IL would need verification from at least one psychiatrist or other qualified mental health professional before accepting the case.
Evidence of Physical vs. Psychological Injuries
In most other situations, it will probably be difficult to prove that a job caused mental illness. The claimant must be able to prove that an injury or illness happened because of the job if the workers’ comp benefits provider or the employer is skeptical about the claim.
A physical injury can be more directly diagnosed and confirmed, and other workers may have witnessed the incident. The claim may have been denied because of a technical error with the paperwork or lack of verification from a physician. In these cases, a law firm such as Becker, Schroader & Chapman, PC. This is not as straightforward a process with mental health problems. People often are better off filing for disability if they develop a serious mental illness like bipolar disorder or clinical depression.
