A former Chatham resident, who now lives in Leamington and is suffering job-related mental stress, hopes a new WSIB lawsuit is successful.
David Lawson is one of hundreds of Ontarians who say they have suffered chronic mental stress due to their job, and could be awarded workers' compensation if a new charter challenge is successful.
Currently, compensation is given in mental illness claims that stem from a sudden or traumatic event, but excludes chronic mental stress that builds up over time, like in cases of ongoing harassment.
Lawson says the current system is broken and needs to be fixed.
"I think it's probably the most heartless thing they've ever done. To deny healthcare to the people that need it the most and to deny that these people are suffering after years and years and years," says Lawson.
Lawson says he tried suicide in 2007 after dealing with the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board for years. He says too many victims are being left behind.
"You have to address the root causes of these issues. So, to dismiss these issues and not allow these people to do it, it's a business tactic is what it is," Lawson says.
Lawson says the current system is backwards because it allows too many people to keep suffering.
"It sounds like a move made in the oneness of the WSIB and not in the spirit of helping the thousands," says Lawson.