North Carolina workers’ compensation can cover psychological or psychiatric injuries, but these claims face a higher burden of proof than physical ones. To qualify, the mental health condition must stem directly from a specific, identifiable work‑related accident or traumatic incident, not from routine job stress. For example, an employee who witnesses a severe workplace accident and develops PTSD may have a valid claim, while anxiety or depression from deadlines or pressure usually does not. First responders, healthcare workers, and others exposed to trauma often have stronger claims tied to specific events, but success requires thorough documentation, expert psychiatric testimony, and often Commission hearings, making experienced legal representation essential.