When we think of work injuries, our minds typically go to a physical injury, like a broken ankle or a gash that requires stitches, but Minnesota also allows workers to pursue compensation for invisible injuries, like post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). If you are clinically diagnosed with PTSD stemming from a compensable work-related incident, you can earn workers’ compensation. But who can diagnose you with a compensable form of work-related PTSD? In today’s blog, we take a closer look at the expanded list of providers who can diagnose a person with work-related PTSD in Minnesota.
Who Can Diagnose PTSD For A Work Injury Claim?
Since PTSD became an injury that is eligible for workers’ compensation, only a select few professionals were capable of making the determination that an injured worker has a verifiable and compensable form of work-related PTSD. Those providers were:
- Psychiatrists
- Psychologists
If you live in or near the Twin Cities or another large metropolitan area in Minnesota, you can probably find a psychiatrist or psychologist who is capable of providing this type of diagnosis, but that’s not always the case across rural Minnesota. And even if you find one of these professionals, there’s no guarantee that they are accepting new patients or have familiarity with occupational trauma. This can lead to an inability to find a provider or bottlenecks when a large number of patients are trying to see the same few specialists.
To account for this problem, lawmakers recently expanded who is considered qualified to render a PTSD diagnosis for workers’ compensation purposes. Beginning October 1 of this year, psychiatric mental health nurse practitioners will be eligible to diagnose PTSD in injured workers.
A psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner is an advanced practice registered nurse with specialized education and certifications in psychiatric care. Minnesota’ s advanced nursing statute already places assessment and PTSD diagnosis within their professional scope, and soon they will be able to have their assessments serve as validation for injured workers seeking PTSD benefits.
Remember that any Minnesota employee may file a workers’ compensation claim for work-related PTSD, so long as they have a diagnosis from one of the above professionals. Eligibility for claim acceptance is broader for some professions, like police, firefighters, emergency personnel and other first responders, but compensation is certainly not limited to only these types of workers. If you believe you have a valid claim or need assistance collecting proof that you suffer from a compensable form of PTSD, connect with an injury firm in your area. In the greater Twin Cities area, we hope you’ll connect with the team at Hey Workers by calling (844) 439-9675.
