In recent years, the world has proved that more people are growing concerned about underlying disabilities and mental health problems affecting employees. Besides facing injuries and medical issues, companies are coming to terms that physical conditions are not the only basis for providing compensation to workers.
Mental problems that individuals face every day can hold a major impact on how people choose to live their lives, whether they are spending time at home with their family or accomplishing tasks at work. One typical illness that could hold a person back from achieving their potential and prevent them from performing their best in their daily routine is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Knowing the Mental Health Issue: PTSD Defined
PTSD is an extreme mental health issue that people face once they witness or survive a traumatic event. While the condition used to be associated with veterans of the war who have seen all kinds of distressing events in real life, it is now understood to happen to anyone at present when they suffer a traumatic moment in their lives.
No matter how old you are, if you face unfortunate occurrences, such as a severe accident, sexual assault, or a hostage-taking scene, you are more likely to be diagnosed with PTSD. Incidents like car collisions, burglaries, and natural disasters can also trigger the condition.
How a person decides to live after the traumatic event can also determine the development of their PTSD. When you undergo acute stress and the absence of social support, they increase the chances of developing such a disorder.
What Happens When You Have PTSD?
PTSD provokes four kinds of behaviors from a person who recently experienced a particular trauma in their life. Although not everyone is likely to have all the symptoms, the typical signs that someone has it involve avoidance, flashbacks, hyperarousal, and negativity.
Avoidance is when a person with PTSD tries to steer clear from anything that will remind them of the terrifying event, such as the people they were with, what they were doing when it happened, and the time of day it took place. Flashbacks come in the form of nightmares and memories that remind the person of the traumatic event. Hyperarousal involves always being on high alert if something dangerous appears and leads to feeling anxious, being startled easily, and becoming moody. Lastly, negativity is usually described as depression because you struggle to remain happy and present due to what happened to you.
Getting Compensation for Working with PTSD
It is a given fact that not all occupations are created equal, especially when you compare an office job to a field job. People who work as police, firefighter, emergency medical technician, or other various responder positions are more likely to get PTSD due to the nature of their jobs.
When you try to overcome a traumatic event, your mental health becomes at risk, and so does your ability to accomplish your job well. As a result, you might need to take some time off from your career or seek professional help to overcome your trauma.Â
Due to the bills you have to pay and debts you need to answer to prevent them from piling up, you might be tempted to choose to stay at your work because you cannot afford to stop working. Fortunately, in some cases PTSD can be a compensable occupational risk qualifying for coverage, such as a first responder experiencing a traumatic event.
Conclusion
Recovering from a deeply damaging episode of your life is never easy. It should be taken seriously, especially if you want to keep your negative emotions from taking over your life. If you or someone you know has been diagnosed with PTSD due to a traumatic incident at work, you are encouraged to seek compensation for the amount of stress you are enduring. For your safety and peace of mind, you should hire an experienced attorney to protect your rights and ensure you can obtain what you rightfully deserve.Â
Are you looking for legal professionals in Jacksonville to help you file for a workers’ compensation claim? Harris Guidi Rosner, P.A, offers legal and emotional assistance to our clients in need of an attorney. We cater to personal injury, family law, criminal, social security, workers’ compensation, and more. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
