Work Related Stress Compensation
In any job field, there are stressors that can take a significant toll on your overall health and wellbeing. Work-related stress can make you susceptible to serious health conditions while making on the job accidents and injuries more likely to occur. In situations in which job stress plays a significant factor in keeping you from performing tasks at your job, you may be entitled to workers’ compensation as a result. Here’s what you need to know about work-related stress compensation.
Common Causes of Work-Related Stress
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), job-related stress has become more common among U.S. workers, posing a significant threat to their overall health and safety. Through the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), they found that job-related stress is more likely to cause physical and emotional health problems than with any other stressor, including those concerning finances or relationships.
NIOSH states that work-related stress is usually the result of work characteristics or work conditions. While some jobs may be inherently more stressful than others, such as those held by law enforcement officials or air traffic controllers, any position can cause dangerously high levels of stress if certain conditions are allowed to exist. These types of conditions generally include:
- Heavy workloads, long hours, and infrequent breaks
- Managers who are unreasonable, inflexible, fail to take into account the workers need, or micromanage their employees
- Poor social environment and lack of support among coworkers
- Having conflicting or poorly defined work roles, being given too much responsibility, and being required to wear ‘too many hats’
- Job insecurity and lack of opportunity for promotions and raises
- Environment conditions, such as overcrowding, noisy offices spaces, and exposure to fumes or harsh chemicals
For a free legal consultation, call 803-222-2222
Stress Related Injuries & Illnesses
NIOSH reports that states are now more likely to recognize work-related stress as a credible health condition and to award work-related stress compensation benefits when stress-related injuries or illnesses occur. In addition to making on the job accidents more likely to happen, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) states that work-related stress can result in any of the following:
- Chronic mental disorders, such as anxiety and depression
- Immunodeficiency disorders, such as leukemia and certain types of cancers
- Digestive disorders, such as ulcers and colitis
- Rheumatoid arthritis and inflammation causing soft tissue injuries
- Migraine headaches and sleep disorders
- High blood pressure, diabetes, and coronary heart disease
Under the South Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act, workers may be awarded benefits for stress-related injuries in some circumstances, such as when they occur due to extraordinary circumstances or as a direct or indirect result of on the job injuries.
Contact Us Today for Help
If you have suffered an injury or illness as the result of work-related stress, it is important to have an experienced South Carolina workers’ compensation attorney on your side to fight for your rights. Contact Anastopoulo Law Firm and request a free consultation at our office in Charleston or at one of the locations throughout the Lowcountry and Upstate to find out the types of benefits you may be entitled to. We provide the professional legal representation you need in these situations, so call or contact us online today.
Call or text 803-222-2222 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
