Workers compensation cases frequently put the interests of an injured or sick worker up against the employer’s interests. Due to the heavily contentious nature of many claims of this type, the claim process can be difficult and adversarial. If you are dealing with a workers’ compensation claim, don’t be shocked if the process seems overly problematic.
Top 5 Tips for Workers’ Compensation Disputes:
- Report Injuries Immediately: Always report injuries sustained on the job without delay. Unless another policy or procedure is in place at your place of employment, report any job injuries directly to a supervisor. When reporting a job injury, provide the supervisor with as much detail as possible about both the nature of the accident/injury and the resulting pain or problems that are being caused by the injury. When workers fail to report job injuries in a timely fashion, it can lead to denied workers comp claims.
- Seek Medical Attention: When you are injured at work, you should seek out the advice of a medical professional as soon as possible. Even if you suspect or hope that your symptoms may quickly resolve on their own, it is important that you let a medical professional examine you to verify that you have not sustained a serious or lasting injury. If you aren’t sure whether or not you should see a doctor as a result of a workplace injury, you probably need to go ahead and make an appointment.
- Provide Accurate History of Injuries to the Doctor: When a doctor examines you after a work injury, remember to provide the doctor with an accurate history of all work-related injuries. They need to know when the injury occurred, where the injury occurred, and where the problem or pain is now. They will also need to have information about any previous injuries or accidents.
- Denied Insurance Claims Can Seek Resolution in Court: If your workers’ compensation insurance company tells you that they have denied your claim or if they deny your right to certain testing or treatment related to the injury or accident, you do not have to take this as your final answer. If all or part of your claim is denied by the workers’ compensation carrier, you can request a hearing on the matter in front of a judge. In these cases, the judge will make the final decision as to whether or not the denial was appropriate.
- Work with an Attorney: Employers have attorneys that protect their rights in workers’ comp cases, and employees should consider this when they are trying to decide whether or not they need to hire an attorney of their own.
If you have questions about filing a workers’ compensation claim or if you need to know what to do when your claim is denied, please get in touch with one of the experienced workers’ compensation attorneys at Stanley-Wallace Law. We’re prepared to help you protect your rights.
