In the short term, worker's compensation allows you to step back from a dangerous workplace setting and recover from injuries sustained on the job. Over time, however, a lack of meaningful work may leave you feeling socially and mentally unfulfilled, placing you at greater risk of depression. If you're currently on worker's compensation, look out for the problems detailed below:
Lack of Social Connection
One of the most underrated benefits of working a full-time job is spending significant time within a close social network. You might not always like your coworkers, but you have a great deal in common with them — and they can provide a shoulder to lean on when the going gets tough. Unfortunately, you may feel lonelier and less connected to your once solid social group if you spend your time away from work while receiving worker's compensation. This sense of disconnection could ultimately lead to depression.
Learned Helplessness
Learned helplessness occurs when a victim or perceived victim develops a mindset of powerlessness. This is the brain's way of dealing with traumatic situations, but unfortunately, it can make it very difficult to move forward. For example, employees injured on the job may develop learned helplessness and rely on their worker's compensation as a crutch, thereby failing to reclaim the sense of accomplishment that once accompanied a successful day on the job.
As you strive for a worker's compensation claim that aligns with the severity of your injury, keep in mind that there could be a downside to taking long breaks from work. However, this understanding should allow you to take advantage of the compensation you're owed. Instead, help you avoid mental health problems that commonly strike employees who spend extended periods away from the workplace.
Contact Smith, Wallis & Scott, LLP at your earliest convenience to learn more about the legal aspects of worker's compensation.