Can I Sue My Employer for Emotional Distress in Ohio?

Emotional distress can be a burden to your daily life as well as your ability to work effectively. This can be a byproduct of issues with a co-worker, discrimination, or unfair treatment of other kinds in the workplace — and for those who are struggling with emotional distress, finding the time to support their mental health while also showing up for work can be tough.

Your employer should never be the cause of this kind of stress, but there are unfortunate situations where your employer is the reason for your emotional state. This is a situation that your employer should work hard to remedy, and they should not ignore your needs with regard to your emotional well-being.

Grounds for Bringing a Suit Against Your Employer for Emotional Distress

There are a few reasons that you might have grounds to bring this kind of lawsuit against your employer. In the state of Ohio, laws about this kind of distress and its relation to work are very unfriendly to employees. Unfortunately, Ohio is not a state that takes this kind of issue seriously on behalf of the employee that has been affected.

That being said, if your emotional distress is related to an on-the-job injury or if you have been the victim of harassment, discrimination, or employment law violation, your emotional distress claim might be heard. Workers that have been targeted at work and have reported their employer for misconduct or employees who have used the Whistleblower Act to report issues with safety or conduct at work might also be entitled to bring suit for emotional distress.

Stress alone cannot be the sole reason that you are bringing suit against your employer in Ohio. You will need to be able to show that your stress is based on illegal actions that have been taken by your employer or that your emotional distress is related to the behavior of management or the company itself toward you.

Factors That Must be Present to Sue for Emotional Distress

If you are thinking about bringing suit against your employer for emotional distress, you need to be aware that one or more of these factors must be present for this kind of case to be heard:

• Your employer acted with ill intent or was reckless
• Your emotional stress was very severe
• The actions that were taken against you caused your emotional distress
• The action that caused your distress was extreme, outrageous, or illegal

These conditions must be present for a suit related to emotional distress to be heard by a judge. You will need to make sure that you are able to prove these conditions existed if you want your case to succeed.

What Kind of Information Do I Need to Support My Claim?

You will first and foremost need to be able to show without a doubt that your employer was aware of the situation and that no action was taken to prevent it from taking place. You will also need to provide medical records detailing your distress. Your employer might also be asked to release records of meetings and emails and recorded phone conversations that show that they did not take action to resolve the issue or that someone at the company was the cause of your distress.

Without this kind of supporting information, you will likely not be able to bring suit against your employer. These kinds of cases are very hard to try in the state of Ohio, and you will need to be sure that you have all of the necessary documentation and evidence in order before you and your lawyer take your case to court.

Emotional distress is a serious condition and should not be taken lightly, but there are many instances where this kind of harm cannot be used as a reason to bring a lawsuit against a business or an employer. Your attorney will know what kinds of conditions must be met before you can choose to bring suit against your employer for this kind of harm.

Contact Us Today

If you have suffered emotional distress as a result of a situation at your place of employment, you should not have to suffer in silence. Hux Law Firm can help you to seek compensation for your distress, and we can support your efforts to sue your employer for the emotional harm that they have caused you. Emotional distress can impact every aspect of your daily life, and we can help you to seek compensation for your suffering. If you feel your employer may be responsible for your emotional distress, contact our office today.