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Secondary psychological injuries represent a growing portion of workers' compensation claims and costs, but they're not well understood or addressed, a mental health specialist says.

They occur in conjunction with a physical injury – most often after a negative experience when lodging a workers' compensation claim, disdain from a co-worker, or a poor return-to-work plan, says Lockton manager of partner services Rosemary Gil.

Gil, a workers' compensation and injury management professional, says the number of people with physical injuries who then develop secondary psychological injuries is on the rise. This is either because of the nature of their injury – how long it takes to recover and how serious it is – or because of other psychosocial factors, such as difficult workplace relationships, financial stress, or a history of poor mental health...