Fighting for workers’ compensation benefits can be frustrating when you’re confronted with delays, denials, or disputes. Although setbacks are often an unavoidable part of the process, you don’t have to let it negatively impact your wellbeing.
Here are some practical strategies to protect your emotional health during this challenging time.
1. Delegate your fight to an attorney
It’s emotionally exhausting trying to battle a workers’ comp claim on your own, and that’s why you should consider hiring a lawyer. A workers’ compensation attorney will fight for your rights, whether that’s through a lawsuit or handling your appeal. In either case, a skilled attorney will know exactly how to get the best outcome and maximize your payout.
2. Acknowledge your emotions
Feeling frustrated, angry, or anxious about having your claim disputed or denied is normal. And it’s important to acknowledge these and any other emotions you may feel in order to manage them effectively. Suppressed feelings often turn into explosions of misplaced anger, and if you don’t manage your anxiety, it can cause you to make mistakes that will harm your chances of winning your appeal.
Some simple ways to acknowledge and manage your emotions include:
· Talk to someone you trust. Sharing how you feel with a loved one or a professional counselor will lessen the struggle by making you feel heard.
· Practice self-compassion. Don’t blame yourself for a denied claim. You did your best to present your case, and you might need to go through the appeals process to get your benefits.
· Reduce stress through meditation. Emotional stress can build up quickly, but if you meditate for just five minutes a day, you can reduce that stress and replace it with a sense of calm.
The key is to stay in touch with your emotions so you can address them as they arise.
3. Stay organized
A lack of organization can have a negative impact on your emotional health. For example, if you’re always running late to your appointments, you miss filing deadlines, or can’t remember what’s required of you, you’ll feel stressed and anxious over the consequences. To avoid this, do what it takes to stay organized. Set alarms on your appointment days that give you plenty of time to get ready. In fact, plan on being early so you have enough time to handle unexpected breakdowns. Missed deadlines can get your claim denied, so stay on top of all paperwork and don’t put anything off until the last minute.
4. Focus on your physical health
Avoid unnecessary cause for concern by following your doctor’s recommendations and going to all of your scheduled medical appointments. This will not only support your physical recovery, but will also strengthen your workers’ comp case. Not showing up to your medical appointments will give the insurance company a good reason to deny your claim.
With your doctor’s clearance, engage in light physical exercise to stay active. You can walk around the block, go for a short jog, do some yoga, or stretch. Physical exercise releases feel-good endorphins and reduces stress.
5. Use stress-relief techniques
Practices like meditation and deep breathing can help you stay calm, centered, and focused even in the most stressful situations. A simple, daily meditation practice can keep you focused and help you avoid overthinking about your claim.
Journaling is also an excellent way to feel good. For many people, getting their thoughts onto paper alleviates stress and anxiety. If you’ve never tried it before, you might be surprised at how good it can make you feel.
6. Avoid stressors
In addition to actively working on eliminating stress, it’s also smart to avoid situations that create stress. For example, if driving makes you feel anxious, ask someone else for a ride. If there are certain people in your life who stress you out, ask them for some space or just ignore them. Where the internet is concerned, don’t read news that upsets you, avoid doomscrolling on social media, and stop watching videos that make you feel agitated.
The less stress you create in your body, the better. The physical body doesn’t heal well when it’s overloaded with stress hormones, so make it a point to avoid anything that triggers your stress response.
Keep fighting
Insurance companies can be tough to deal with, but don’t give up. Keep fighting for your benefits and advocate for yourself. The journey will be challenging, but with some self-care and support from others, you’ll get through it.
