No injury is good. When they happen at work, the situation is even worse compared to regular injuries that happen at home or during recreation. Work injuries tend to make matters complicated, and soon your life is no longer the same as it was pre-injury. Luckily, if the injury was not your fault you’re entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. If they’re not given to you voluntarily, you have a right to file a claim. These benefits serve to help you out while you’re unable to work and earn money. But, if your claim is not handled the right way the funds you need to receive might not be what you deserve and what you should get.
This is why it matters to handle the matters the right way. There are various legal questions to answer, and you need to hold all the answers. If this is not the situation things can go south. When you’re injured this is the last thing you want to happen. Now, you must be wondering what are you supposed to do? Well, you owe it to yourself to be prepared. In this article, we are going to tell you how to have the best outcome out of this situation. Here’s what to do.
Report The Injury
This is where it all starts. Once you get injured the time is to go and pay a visit to your employer and report what happened. Depending on the state where you work you have a certain deadline to meet. This should be the final date before you have the right to an injury report. It is important to know the regulations in this department. Why? Well, if you miss the deadline the compensation after an injury is gone. This is essential for a successful claim. If you miss your chance there are no odds to bet on your win. Because of the seriousness of getting things done on the time, it is also vital that you hire professional help such as good people from Trollinger Law and save yourself from any trouble involving dates and deadlines.
Get to the Doctor’s Office
Do we even need to say this? When a work-related injury happens go to the doctor’s office straight away. Getting treatment should be done immediately even if you don’t have the workers’ compensation claim on your mind. But, when the claim pops out, the insurance company will be eager to see your medical report. This is why you must have one, dated as soon as possible in the aftermath of the injury. If you wait for too long after the injury occurred to visit a medic, your injury might not seem as severe as it was, which will prompt the skepticism on the other side about your claim.
Study The Benefits
Filing a claim is one thing, but knowing what you get after one was successful is another. Your situation might not be unique but maybe it is, on its severity depends on the benefits you are going to receive. This is why it is vital to research everything related to the case and to conclude which ones are you going to receive. It is not about the reception, but what your claim could get you. The insurance company in charge of your case probably won’t be eager to share this info with you, so you are left on your own, with an option to hire legal help as we already suggested. In general, what you’re entitled to include medical help, benefits for temporary disability, for a permanent one, and for other reasons This is vital to know once you get into the workers’ compensation claim.
File The Claim
Your claim gets into motion once you report the situation to your employer. This is the first step. After that, you need to file your claim officially. The paperwork can get complicated so you need to have it all with you as soon as you’re able. The paperwork you’re going to fill out comes from your boss, and he should have it to you as soon as your report the injury. If you didn’t receive it, you need to ask for it. If your condition is too severe to file the papers yourself, have a family member or a friend do it for you. Also, your legal representative could do this for you, if none of the above works. It is quite important to do this the right way as you are going to face the insurance company with these papers. This is why it is vital to have it filled the right way, with all the details in a manner that is deemed professional. This is a serious matter and you should approach it as such.
Be Ready For Independent Medical Examination
Workers’ compensation benefits won’t come your way with ease. The other party involved will look out for their interests. This is why you might get submitted for an independent medical examination. What this means is that you’ll be examined by a medical professional who will be hired by the insurance company. His report will head straight back to the insurance company with a tale about your injury, your previous medical record, and with any evidence that your injury happened or didn’t happen at your workplace.
Consider And Reconsider The Insurance Company Offer
Insurance companies have their ways of doing things. Often they will try to look out for their interest without regard for common people. This is why you need to look out for yourself. After all of the above is over, the insurance company will face you with an offer before the matter goes to trial. Their offer could be fair, but the chances are that they’ll try to hit you up with an offer way below the market value of your claim. You need to look out for this. It is up to you what you’ll accept. But, you should never accept an insulting offer. The insurance companies already have too many wins and funds, and that’s enough reason to fight for yourself.