WGK Personal Injury Lawyers | April 16, 2025 | Personal Injury
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) isn’t just a mental health issue; it can be a serious disability. If you developed PTSD because of something that happened at work in Baltimore, you might be wondering if workers’ compensation covers it. The answer is: it depends.
Workers’ compensation is meant to cover job-related injuries and illnesses. But when it comes to mental health conditions like PTSD, things get more complicated.
What Is PTSD?
PTSD is a mental health condition that can happen after a person goes through or witnesses a terrifying or traumatic event. It’s often linked to combat veterans and first responders, but anyone can develop PTSD.
In the workplace, PTSD can be caused by:
- Experiencing or witnessing a violent attack
- Being involved in or seeing a serious accident
- Working in high-stress jobs like law enforcement, firefighting, or emergency medicine
- Dealing with repeated exposure to traumatic situations
Symptoms of PTSD include flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and mood changes. These symptoms can interfere with daily life, relationships, and the ability to work.
Is PTSD Covered by Workers’ Compensation in Maryland?
A recent study found that mental health issues are now the leading workplace injury. More than half of workplace injuries involve anxiety or stress. In Maryland, workers’ comp can cover PTSD, but only in certain situations. PTSD may be classified as a compensable occupational disease or an accidental injury under the Maryland Labor and Employment Code.
PTSD Caused by a Specific, Sudden Incident
If your PTSD developed after a single traumatic event at work, it may be treated as an accidental injury. According to Maryland Labor and Employment § 9-101, the definition of an accidental injury includes infection or disease that naturally results from an accidental injury arising out of and during the course of employment. This means the development of PTSD related to a work-related injury can be considered a worsening of the underlying injury in the case.
To receive workers’ compensation benefits, you will need to show that the accidental injury was the proximate cause of the PTSD.
PTSD From Repeated Exposure or Ongoing Stress
PTSD that develops over time from ongoing stress, like in emergency responder jobs, may be harder to prove. In these cases, the condition might be considered an occupational disease. Your case may depend on whether PTSD is more common in your line of work and directly caused by your job.
For example, a firefighter who develops PTSD after years of responding to fatal fires might qualify. But someone in a typical office job dealing with general stress likely won’t.
PTSD Without Physical Injury
You may be eligible for workers’ compensation for PTSD even if you did not suffer physical injury. For example, a traumatic event or disaster at work that causes post-traumatic stress disorder may qualify.
You will need to demonstrate the severity of your symptoms and how they impair your ability to do your job. While you can qualify without a related physical injury, your claim is more likely to be approved if the PTSD is related to an accident that caused you injury.
What Do You Need To Prove?
To get workers’ comp for PTSD, you must show that:
- A licensed mental health professional has diagnosed you with PTSD,
- Your PTSD is directly linked to your workplace,
- The event or exposure that caused it happened in the course of your work duties, and
- Your condition has resulted in a disability that leaves you unable to perform your job.
Workers’ compensation claims involving mental health conditions can be challenging to win. Particularly if you do not have a physical injury, the insurance company is likely to search carefully for small discrepancies or outright deny your initial claim.
It’s important to maintain consistent care with a psychiatrist or other mental health professional. This helps substantiate your condition and a lack of improvement over time.
What Benefits Can You Receive?
If your claim is approved, you may qualify for several types of workers’ compensation benefits:
- Coverage for medical treatment and therapy
- Temporary total disability payments while you can’t work
- Permanent partial or total disability benefits if your PTSD causes long-term impairment
- Vocational rehabilitation if you can’t return to your job
Benefits can help cover doctor visits, counseling, medication, and lost wages while you’re recovering, or long-term if you can’t return to work.
What Should You Do if You Think You Have PTSD From Work?
If you’re experiencing PTSD symptoms after something that happened on the job:
- See a doctor or therapist right away. Early diagnosis is important.
- Report the incident to your employer. You only have 10 days to notify them if a specific incident caused your injury. For occupational diseases, you have up to two years to provide notice from the date you know or should have known about your condition.
- File a workers’ compensation claim. This should be done within 60 days. You may have up to two years from the date of the incident or when you became aware of your condition.
- Talk to a lawyer. A workers’ comp attorney can help protect your rights and guide you through the process.
PTSD claims are tough to win without strong evidence and legal guidance. Insurance companies often deny these claims or argue that the PTSD came from something outside of work.
How a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Can Help
An experienced workers’ compensation attorney can help you navigate complex claims, including those involving psychological injuries like PTSD. They can guide you through the process of filing for benefits, gather the necessary evidence to support your claim, and assist with an appeal if your case is denied. If you’re dealing with the aftermath of a work-related traumatic event, speaking with a knowledgeable Baltimore workers’ compensation attorney can help you understand your rights and explore your options for recovery.
Contact the Baltimore Personal Injury Law Firm of WGK Personal Injury Lawyers Today For Help
For more information contact the Baltimore personal injury law firm of WGK Personal Injury Lawyers to schedule a free initial consultation.
WGK Personal Injury Lawyers
14 W Madison St, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
(410) 837-2144
WGK Personal Injury Lawyers – Dundalk Office
7329 Holabird Ave Suite 3, Dundalk, MD 21222
By appointment only
(410) 970-3080