California Workers’ Compensation Law recently changed to limit Injured Workers from claiming psychiatric permanent disability arising as a compensable consequence injury. For example, if an Injured Worker hurt their back lifting a box at work and, as a result of the back pain, developed a psychiatric depression, the permanent disability relating to the depression would not be considered as part of their permanent disability award. The claim for psychiatric permanent disability from that claim would be barred as it does not fit within the legislative exceptions.
This article will discuss the compensable consequence psychiatric permanent disability injury concerning catastrophic injuries.