When an employee suffers an injury on the job, many may think that what follows will be simple. If it were simple, employees would be treated and would receive fair compensation from their employer’s workers’ compensation insurance that is managed by the state of California. Not only are claims often difficult to file for workplace injuries, but new studies show that injuries may have damaging psychological effects on a worker’s life.
Researching the effects of injuries that result in missed work is not new. Previous research presented data that individuals who missed a week or more of work showed increased rates of depression. Indeed, employees were frequently treated with opioids and suffered long-term earnings losses. The results of that study led researchers to explore the rates of suicide among the same group of workers.
The results of this newer study were alarming. Although the study was limited to data from just one state, it may give a glimpse of what injured workers may go through all across the country. Surprisingly, a week missed of work due to an injury resulted in women having three times the risk of suicide and a 50 percent increase for men. No information was provided on the health and psychological state of injured workers prior to their injuries.
Considering there are 4.6 million workplace injuries throughout the country every year, the study results and implications it may have on injured worker’s lives are concerning. Employees unfamiliar with handling a work injury may find the advice of an attorney helpful. California attorneys understand that injured workers often suffer from pain, medical expenses and lost time at work, and a lawyer is able to guide an employee through the claim’s process.