What El Paso and New Mexico Workers Need to Know About Stress Injuries in the Workplace
Injuries at work are not always physical. While the subject has been highly debatable, there have been landmark cases that have given stress injuries the momentum they require to be taken seriously in court. For example, in 1955, a Texas court ruled that an ironworker had endured stress caused by witnessing his coworker’s death on a scaffold accident. The case is known as Bailey v. American General and it has become a prime example of how psychological illnesses can mentally hurt workers. The ironworker witnessed his coworker plunge to his death and as a result experienced trouble sleeping and hypersensitive pain.
Although other cases of involving mental stress have been brought forward, not all are ruled in favor of the employee. For that reason, cases involving work-related stress injuries require careful attention as they are often difficult to convey and they fall within unusual circumstances for workers’ compensation. At the Law Office of Javier Martinez, Jr., P.C., we assist workers who have sufficient evidence to prove how their work or work setting contributed to a physiological injury.
Emotional and Mental Stress Injuries
Poor health is often linked to excessive stress. Workplace stress is a major contributor to mental health disorders. Stress that develops at work may be considered an injury that employees endure without knowing how dramatically it affects their quality of life.
Examples of stress injuries include:
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Heart attack
- Stroke
- Repetitive stress injury
Causes of work-related stress may include:
- A catastrophic accident
- An assault and battery
- Sexual abuse
Symptoms of Stress Injuries
Everyone interprets stress differently. The symptoms significantly vary by individual but generally include a change in their mental state and/or behavior. Symptoms of stress injuries may include the following:
- Trouble sleeping including insomnia
- Physical changes such as excessive weight loss or gain
- Anger issues
- Memory loss
- Alcohol or drug abuse
- Nausea
- Hypertension
- Vertigo
- Nervousness
Connect With an Experienced Workers’ Comp Attorney Today
The Law Office of Javier Martinez, Jr., P.C. is committed to protecting workers in El Paso County as well as the state of New Mexico. If you’ve experienced a stress-related injury, you may be entitled to a compensation that has affected your mental health. Please connect with us today to begin taking legal action.
