Without workers’ compensation benefits, it can be challenging to make ends meet after an injury takes place at work. It’s unfortunate that too many injured workers make simple but expensive mistakes while the workers’ compensation claims process is taking place. In case of an injury at work, it’s essential you understand your legal rights and responsibilities. Here are some practical tips on how to maximize your workers’ compensation benefits.
Immediately report your injury
The first thing you should do after suffering a workplace injury is to immediately report it to your supervisor. Keep in mind that in every state you need to give notice of your injury at work by a certain deadline. In case the deadline is missed, you may lose your right to obtain your workers’ compensation benefits. Another thing to bear in mind is that there’s a workers’ compensation claim form that you need to file by a fixed date and after that, your claim will officially start. It’s essential you report the injury the moment it happens due to legal repercussions for possibly lying about a claim. Make sure you notify your employer within thirty days of the accident.
Seek emergency medical attention
You should seek immediate medical care as soon as possible after your injury. If you don’t seek emergency medical attention, it can happen that the insurance company which handles the claim may disagree on the manner in which the injury happened, so they can refrain from paying your expenses. Therefore, make sure you get everything in writing when you visit a doctor and, in that way, you’ll have proof of the manner and time when the injury happened.
Consider hiring a workman’s compensation attorney
As previously said, accidents occurring at work can happen no matter what the employer had done in advance to prevent them. However, in case you suspect that you injured yourself due to the carelessness and oversight of the employer, then you should think about seeking help from an experienced workman’s comp attorney and potentially file a lawsuit. By seeking professional help, you’ll have your claims adequately examined and you’ll be able to endure legal scrutiny and have a solid legal background to back you up. Therefore, don’t think about dealing with this issue without consulting a professional attorney.
File a compensation form
At times when workplace accidents happen, people are too preoccupied with their physical and mental state to think about all the details of the legal system and compliance with labor and workplace safety laws. Keep in mind to always take account of these things since your compensation will depend on your attention to detail when it comes to legal actions. That’s why you need to take time to investigate the compensation forms that are issued by your government in order to be informed on the steps you need to take in case of potential problems. Furthermore, pay attention to even minor injuries since reporting them has time limits as well.
Pay attention to the private investigators and surveillance
There are cases in which the insurance company plays a bit dirty and questions your credibility by hiring a private investigator to follow you and your family and friends in an attempt to catch you doing something which may contradict your workers’ comp claim. For instance, if you complain to your doctor that you can’t lift more than five pounds, but the surveillance camera catches you carrying boxes into your house, the insurance company will take advantage of that and claim you’re lying about your symptoms. But, this footage can be interpreted the wrong way since boxes could be lighter than they look or you might have endured severe pain afterward. So, don’t forget to consult with your workman’s comp attorney on the ways in which you can minimize the effect of surveillance footage.
Hopefully, these tips will aid you in ensuring you obtain suitable compensation in case you endure any sort of workplace injury. While today everything is uncertain and there are plenty of things that can hurt both your personal and professional well-being, one of the rare situations in which you can get some kind of coverage is a workplace injury. So, take all the necessary steps to maximize your workers’ compensation benefits and make the best out of the situation.
