When it comes to workplace injuries, most people think of physical injuries such as broken bones, sprains, or cuts, but mental health conditions can be just as debilitating. In Illinois, workers’ compensation can cover mental health conditions under specific circumstances, but proving a work-related mental health injury can be complex.
At Illinois Workers’ Comp Lawyers, we understand the unique challenges of mental health claims and are here to guide you through the process of securing the benefits you deserve.
How Illinois Workers’ Compensation Addresses Mental Health
Illinois workers’ compensation law covers mental health conditions, but only when they meet certain criteria. To qualify, the mental health condition must directly result from your work environment or specific work-related events.
Unlike physical injuries, proving a mental health claim often requires additional documentation and expert opinions to demonstrate the connection between your job and the psychological impact.
At Illinois Workers’ Comp Lawyers, we assist you in understanding how your mental health condition may qualify for workers’ compensation and help document the connection between your job and your condition.
Types of Mental Health Conditions Covered in Illinois
Mental health claims typically fall into three categories under Illinois law:
- Physical-Mental Cases:
A psychological injury stemming from a physical injury, such as anxiety or PTSD after a severe workplace accident. For example, an employee who sustains a back injury in a fall may later develop depression due to reduced mobility and prolonged recovery. - Mental-Mental Cases – Sudden Trauma:
Mental health conditions caused by a one-time, severe, and shocking work-related event. For example, a healthcare worker who witnesses a traumatic medical emergency might develop PTSD. - Mental-Mental Cases – Cumulative Stress:
Conditions caused by long-term exposure to extraordinary stressors in the workplace, beyond what is typical in the job. A bus driver dealing with ongoing violent passenger incidents could develop anxiety or PTSD. However, routine stressors experienced in most jobs generally do not qualify.
Challenges in Proving Mental Health Claims in Illinois
While Illinois law covers mental health conditions, filing a claim for these conditions can be more difficult than for physical injuries. Workers’ compensation laws require a clear connection between the condition and the workplace, which often involves more documentation and proof than physical injuries.
To qualify for workers’ compensation benefits for mental health conditions, the employee must provide:
- A professional diagnosis from a licensed mental health provider.
- Evidence linking the condition to your job, such as witness testimony or documentation of the traumatic events.
Our team of experienced workers’ compensation attorneys will work with mental health professionals to build a strong case that helps prove your entitlement to workers’ compensation benefits for mental health conditions.
Reporting and Filing Deadlines
As with physical injuries, Illinois law requires employees to notify their employer of a mental health injury within 45 days of becoming aware of the condition.
You must also file your claim with the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission within three years of the injury or two years from the last benefit payment, whichever is later.
Contact Illinois Workers’ Comp Lawyers Today
If you’ve experienced a work-related mental health condition, you deserve the same care and support as any worker with a physical injury.
At Illinois Workers’ Comp Lawyers, we’re here to ensure that your claim is handled correctly and that you receive the benefits to which you’re entitled. Contact us today to discuss your case and learn how we can help you navigate the workers’ compensation process for mental health claims.
