S.C. Bill Proposes Support for First Responders with Work-Related Mental Illnesses
First responders in South Carolina spend their days helping others. And they often have to deal in matters of life and death. This work can take a significant emotional toll over time. It’s no surprise that many first responders end up suffering from job-related mental injuries and stress-related conditions.
Workers’ compensation benefits in South Carolina allow employees to collect benefits when job injuries or illnesses keep them from working. However, collecting benefits for a mental injury without an accompanying bodily injury can be difficult. This may become easier for first responders if a new bill becomes law in the Palmetto State.
At Wilson Law Group, LLC, we support any effort to increase protections for our state’s first responders. Your health and wellbeing matter. If you’re unsure whether you currently qualify for workers’ compensation for a stress or mental injury, call or contact us today for a free consultation.
New Bill for First Responders
Earlier this year, the South Carolina legislature introduced H.B. 3939, a bill that would authorize workers’ compensation benefits for S.C. first responders diagnosed with a work-related mental or stress-related injury or illness.
Currently, a first responder can only obtain workers’ compensation benefits for mental injuries caused by “unusual or extraordinary” conditions of employment. Because first responders naturally work in stressful environments, proving that their mental conditions pass the test to obtain coverage can be difficult.
The bill passed the House and has been sent to the state Senate for its consideration and approval. If passed by the Senate, the bill will go to Gov. Henry McMaster for signature or veto.
Some of the mental conditions that would qualify for workers’ comp benefits under H.B. 3939 include:
- Anxiety disorder
- Depression
- Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
- Sleep-wake disorder
- Obsessive-compulsive disorder
- Conduct disorder
Who Would Qualify?
First responders that would be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits for mental injuries and illnesses suffered on the job include:
- Law enforcement officers
- Firefighters
- Volunteer firefighters
- Paramedics
- 911 and emergency dispatchers
Compensation for Workers with Mental Illnesses
If workers’ compensation is approved for first responders suffering from mental illness caused by their duties, eligible employees may be entitled to benefits that include:
- Payment of all reasonable and necessary treatment expenses, including therapy and prescription medications
- Partial wage replacement, if a first responder misses time from work because of their injury or illness
- Permanent partial or total disability benefits if a first responder suffers a long-term or permanent mental illness that interferes with their ability to return to full-time work
How a Worker’s Comp Lawyer Can Help
If you wish to file a claim for workers’ comp benefits for a mental injury or illness, a South Carolina workers’ compensation lawyer could help you with:
- Investigating the underlying facts and circumstances of the incident that resulted in your condition
- Collaborating with your medical providers to prove that you suffer a disabling mental injury or illness and connecting it with your job duties
- Filing workers’ comp claims on your behalf
- Negotiating a workers’ comp settlement with your employer
- Representing you in any workers’ compensation hearings, if an appeal is necessary
- Taking your claim to court if a workers’ compensation lawsuit is the best option to seek the benefits you need
If you are a first responder and suffered a mental injury or illness in the line of duty, contact a South Carolina workers’ compensation attorney at Wilson Law Group, LLC today for a free, confidential consultation. Call us now.