The British have a phrase that describes resilience in the face of adversity. They say that you have to exhibit a 'stiff upper lip', and popular culture would dictate that you simply deal with any adverse circumstances and get on with your life. However, that is not always the best course of action, especially if you have suffered a psychological or stress-related illness as a result of an experience at work. In this case, you should forget about that stiff upper lip and explore all your options as you seek to find some compensation. Where should you start?

Stress-Related Claims on the Rise

As you may know, the workers compensation scheme is available to help protect any employee who suffers an injury at work. While this program is long standing, the majority of cases involve a physical injury that results in time away, medical expenditure and loss of income. However, a significant number of cases involve stress-related situations that have arisen during the course of employment.

Why Medical Proof Is Necessary

If you are to make a claim under this legislation, you need to prove that you are now suffering from a clinical medical condition that can be classified as an injury. It's not sufficient to simply state your position; you must receive treatment from a qualified practitioner. Without the corroboration of this individual, it will be hard to establish your rights.

Challenging to Prove

Sometimes it can be relatively easy to put the case together. For example, if a police officer were to engage with a violent individual in a stand-off situation with great potential risk to that person, repercussions could follow, and long-term stress could easily be verified. On the other hand, it may be difficult to prove that fellow employees were 'difficult' to you over an extended period of time and this led to the development of symptoms.

Why Support Is Important

Unfortunately, it's quite easy for somebody to claim that they have suffered a stress-related injury and rather difficult to prove its nature. This means that such a claim can often be disputed by the insurance companies and your case will need to be presented very carefully. For this reason, you should always consult with workers compensation lawyers to help build and prove your case. They can help determine if you have a case at all, and this will help to streamline the process and get you closer to a settlement.

Share