(ThyBlackMan.com) It is becoming increasingly more common to see lawsuits brought against employers and their workers compensation insurance companies for what is being described as ‘debilitating work related stress.’ While many people believe it is because of federal laws opening doors for such suits, a 1985 post in the Harvard Business Review says that there are actually three different trends within society that are prompting such cases. So then, this begs the question, who is responsible if you suffer a debilitating physical or psychological illness due to what can be proven by the medical community as job-related stress? Here are a few thoughts on the matter.
A Hypothetical Case
What if you were working in New Jersey and under extremely stressful conditions? Not only are you under a huge amount of emotional duress but also physical exertion as well. Your doctor pin points high blood pressure and a recent heart attack to this stress and orders you to cease and desist working that job because it could ultimately lead to your demise. That is all you have ever done and you know no other work. What do you do?
The first thing you should do, even before contacting your employer regarding medical orders not to return to work would be to contact workers compensation lawyers NJ. The reason for this is because physical and psychological job related stress that is debilitating in nature falls under what is covered by that type of insurance. Your 
lawyer will guide you from there as to what you should and should not do as well as what you should and should not say and to whom.
A Bit of Background
Now then, let’s take a moment to look at the claims being made above in the Harvard article referenced. According to the authors, the three societal trends that are the basis for increasing numbers of suits being filed as ‘debilitating job related stress’ begin with states that have terminology to the effect of any activity that results in continual stress on the job, physical or psychological. The second trend is that the medical community is authenticating the debilitating effects of this continued stress that results in such things as high blood pressure, heart attacks, ulcers, greatly reduced immunity and even increased upper respiratory problems.
The third societal trend is that increasing numbers of workers are seeing a link between their health problems and stress on the job. Way back in 1985, three decades ago, 40,000 women were surveyed. Of these, 62% said they were ‘somewhat impacted by stress on the job’ with 33% of those responding claiming their jobs were extremely stressful. Those numbers have since risen dramatically according to many other surveys within the ensuing three decades.
From All This You Could Conclude
From all of this information, it is possible to conclude that your doctor is exactly on target with his or her assessment that your job led to a stressful situation in which you suffered a debilitating issue preventing you from continuing with the work you’ve always known. You can conclude that it’s time to get legal advice from a workers compensation attorney in your state in order to get the compensation you deserve. Also, one final point needs to be made.
Because of all of the above, it is imperative that any and all in a position of management act upon any complaints in regards to undue amounts of stress. If you have made a complaint and it has not been addressed, your lawyer will use that as well. Don’t stress more than needs be. Consult with a workers compensation lawyer. It’s his or her job to stress from this point forward, not yours!
Staff Writer; Doug Hill
