So You Got . Now What?
The workplace is supposed to be safe. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean an accident will never happen.
If you think workplace injuries are rare, think again. Reports show that there are an estimated 2.8 million injuries in the workplace every year. You need to know what to do if this happens to you.
You can’t afford to do things incorrectly if you’ve been injured at work. Follow the five steps below to get the help you need for your workers’ compensation injury.
1. Notify Your Employer
The first step to starting any injury claim process is notifying your employer about your injury. If you don’t need immediate medical attention, notify your supervisor as soon as your injury occurs.
If things are more serious, you can wait until later to handle your notification. However, don’t wait too long to do this. Each state has a notification window that you need to make your report in.
If you wait too long, you won’t be eligible for compensation.
2. See a Doctor
The next step is to see a doctor so you can figure out how severe your injuries are. Your employer may want you to see a doctor of their choosing. You need to see them first if this is the case.
You might not get the answers you want in all cases. If you think your injuries are more severe than the company doctor tells you, you’re are free to see your doctor for a second opinion.
3. Fill Out the Paperwork
Once you have a better grasp of your injury, you need to fill out the paperwork for your workers’ compensation claim. Contact your employer to get the paperwork you need.
Fill in every detail you can think of in your report. Keep track of your injury details, date of injury, witnesses, and all other relevant information. The better you can make your case, the better chance you have of winning your claim.
4. Start Your Recovery
It’s a waiting game once you have your claim filed. Keep going to your doctor and taking care of yourself.
You want to keep track of any other discoveries during this time. If you have any other expenses that came up after your initial claim, you need to have records of them to give the insurance company.
5. Respond to Your Claim Results
You have a few options available to you once you get your claim results. If your claim is successful, you can get your payment in a lump sum or receive payments over time.
You aren’t out of luck if the insurance company denies your claim. You are allowed to file an appeal with the insurance company. Contact the workers comp lawyers in your area to figure out what you can do to appeal your case successfully.
Take Your Workers’ Compensation Injury Claim Seriously
You can’t rely on half measures when you get injured at work. Make sure you follow the steps above when filing your workers’ compensation injury. When you do things right, you’re going to reduce the chance of the insurance company denying your claim.
If your claim has been taken care of, you need to focus on getting healthy after everything is over. Head back to our blog to learn a few healthy tips that can will you recover.
