If you are injured at work, you have the right to receive workers’ compensation benefits. If these benefits didn’t exist, or if your claim for benefits is denied, it can be difficult to recover from your injuries, get back on your feet and get back to work.
Understanding the rights you have to file a workers’ compensation claim is essential. You may also need a few tips to help ensure you get the most possible out of the claim. If that’s the case, keep reading. Here you can learn some helpful tips to help you make the most of your workers’ compensation claim.
How to file for a workers’ compensation claim
Report Your Injury Right Away
After suffering a work injury, you need to report it to your boss right away. Each state requires that you, as a worker, have to provide notice of an injury you sustained on the job within a certain amount of time. This amount of time varies from one state to another.
If you don’t know this time limit and miss it, you may also lose your ability to collect workers’ compensation benefits. There are some states that also require you to file a claim form to receive the benefits by a specific date to begin the claim.
Get Medical Attention and Treatment Immediately
It’s a good idea to get medical treatment right away after you are injured. By seeking medical care in a prompt manner, you can recover faster. Also, by seeking medical treatment you have evidence of your injuries and that you were actually treated. The documentation provided by a doctor or hospital can prove the extent of the injuries and why you deserve to receive these benefits.
If you put off getting the treatment needed, then the workers’ compensation insurance company may make the argument that you didn’t suffer a serious injury, or that the injury didn’t even occur.
Think About Going to a Different Doctor
There are some states where it is necessary for you to go to the doctor that the insurance company has selected for you. When you go to this doctor, there may be a conflict of interest. Usually, the doctors are paid by the insurance company, which means they may not have a patient’s needs or interests in mind.
One example of this is if a doctor tries to minimize your injuries and the treatment offered so that the insurance company paying them doesn’t have to pay out as much in benefits.
Since the doctor treating the injury is going to play a huge role in the case, if you don’t think you are getting good or fair treatment, you should change doctors. Every state has specific rules regarding how and when you can do this so be sure you find out what they are.
Go visit the family doctor
Get to Know the Benefits You May Receive
If you are injured while on the job, there are several types of benefits offered through the workers’ comp program. These include mileage for going to doctors’ appointments, vocational rehabilitation, medical treatment, permanent disability benefits, and temporary disability benefits.
Remember, insurance companies are for-profit businesses. What this means is that you can’t rely on information provided by the adjuster to learn about the benefits you may be able to receive.
Hire an Attorney for Help
If you are concerned about your ability to recover benefits, the best thing you can do is to find and hire a quality workers’ compensation attorney. They can help guide you through the process and ensure you get the benefits you need for the injuries that you suffered while on the job.
