Pain and injury on the job is one of the most terrifying situations that a lot of workers could face. Many government regulations, including all of the ones enforced by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and several individual procedures used by companies are there simply to keep workers safe and stop them worrying about their safety.
The last year or two has seen a revolution in thinking about workplace injuries or at least who can pay to help people recover from them. Ohio is one of several states considering the inclusion of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related mental issues as conditions that could be covered by workers’ compensation payments.
“Failure to treat PTSD often leads to death or suicide and creates on-the-job issues, such as avoidance and hypersensitivity,” said a police union member during a hearing in Columbus. “Once identified, PTSD can be treated effectively, allowing first responders to continue their careers serving our great state.”
At the moment, first responders’ PTSD cannot be treated under workers’ compensation unless it accompanies a physical injury that falls under existing categories of covered injuries. Ohio’s House of Representatives passed a budget bill allowing PTSD to be considered, but the Senate did not pass the bill with that addition.
Workers struggling with their claims for compensation after an injury may have a case for an administrative court or other hearing that can issue a new ruling. An attorney can help file a claim or a resultant appeal after a rejection in order to fight for the compensation that workers deserve.