Can I Develop PTSD After a Workplace Injury?

Suffering from an accident in the workplace or outside of the workplace can leave people with a significant amount of emotional distress and physical pain. Often when workers are involved in a workplace incident and sustain physical injuries, they can also find themselves left with emotional wounds due to the trauma of the accident that occured.

Workplace PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, is a severe mental condition that can occur when an individual suffers from an overwhelming or stressful event. Although most people are familiar with the term PTSD when it is associated with military veterans, the reality is that PTSD can impact people who have suffered from any traumatic accident, including at their place of employment.

Workplace PTSD is classified when workers experience severe cognitive, emotional, and physical obstacles associated with traumatic parts of their job.

Potential Causes of Workplace PTSD

When a life-threatening incident occurs at work, it can be significantly debilitating to perform normal everyday job duties, let alone return to work. Certain events have the potential to lead to PTSD such as:

  • A life-threatening incident such as falling from high elevation or collapse of a building

  • If a machine malfunctioned and could cause a severe injury or death

  • A workplace accident that left a worker sustaining a traumatic injury

Symptoms of Workplace Injury PTSD

People who have post-traumatic stress disorder can exhibit different types of effects. A worker’s PTSD can cause various symptoms, demonstrating itself in emotional, mental health issues, and physical symptoms. This negatively affects a worker’s ability to function at work and leads to difficulty coping with the tragic event.

The main symptoms of PTSD can include:

  • Severe anxiety

  • Intrusive thoughts

  • Mental anguish and emotional distress

  • Avoidance

  • Negative thoughts about self or others

  • Emotionally numb

  • Depression

  • Irritability

Returning to Work After a Workplace Injury and PTSD

Following an accident where you sustained severe injuries and emotional distress can be difficult. It’s important to focus on your healing and help manage your recovery before returning to work. We recommend:

  • Seeking medical treatment immediately and getting appropriate medical care from your primary health care provider

  • Listening to your body and taking the time to heal your physical and emotional wounds

  • Seeking a support group, therapy, or psychological evaluation

  • Collaborating with your employer about your crisis on how to navigate and ensure your safety at work

The International Labor Organization reports approximately 2.3 million people worldwide experience a work-related accident every year. Although we won’t know when an accident will occur, we can control how we handle the devastating outcomes. To heal and feel safe again in your workplace, it’s essential to speak to a worker’s compensation lawyer to discuss your next steps.

Contact a certified workers’ compensation law specialist

California Law permits workers’ compensation for a wide range of disabilities resulting from job-related emotional stress. Workers who are experiencing PTSD from a traumatic incident at work may be eligible to receive workers’ compensation benefits. It’s important to discuss your options with one of our certified workers’ compensation law specialists to assist you with filing your claim, navigating the legal process, and helping discuss what options are available.

Cole, Fisher, Cole, O’Keefe + Mahoney is Central California’s leading workers’ compensation and social security disability law firm. With over 30 years of successful experience, we are committed to securing maximum benefits for our clients in the Fresno, California area. Schedule a free consultation today.

Cole, Fisher, Cole, O'Keefe + MahoneyComment