When you are hurt on the job, getting compensated and covered for your injuries so that you can recover and regain your life should be a simple process. Unfortunately, it’s all too often filled with denials of coverage, challenges and complicated back-and-forth. There are many pitfalls to avoid, and you want to be sure that you get it right so that your recovery goes smoothly. Learn the steps you should take when you are hurt on the job, how to file for workers’ compensation and how a workers’ compensation lawyer can be a big help.
When You’re Hurt on the Job
When you get hurt on the job, workers’ compensation laws exist to make sure that you get your injuries treated and are able to focus on your recovery without the stress of making ends meet until you can work again. Unfortunately, one misstep can skew the whole process.
First Steps
The first step you should take if you’re injured at work is to get immediate medical attention. As always, your immediate health is the first concern. Then, make sure that you report the injury to your employer ASAP. Usually, you have up to 30 days to make such a report, but the sooner you do so, the better off you’ll be for filing a claim.
Filing The Claim
After you report the injury to your employer, they should provide several resources to you. The first is an injury report and claim form. You will complete this form and return it to your employer, and they will submit it to the state workers’ compensation office for processing and approval.
The second thing they should provide is a list of approved physicians under whose care you can get treated while being covered by workers’ compensation. You should choose one of these physicians and begin visits, documenting all of your costs throughout the process. In the simplest cases, your injury will be treated and covered, and you can move on.
Refusals, Challenges and Denials
Unfortunately, all-too-often, employers refuse to cooperate with workers’ comp claims, or your claim is challenged or denied. They might claim you’re not hurt as badly as you say in an effort to keep their costs down. When this happens, you have two courses of action. The first, if it’s just your employer refusing to cooperate, is to contact the state workers’ compensation office.
If you’re having repeated denials and challenges to your claim, if your employer-approved doctor seems to be short-changing you, or if you feel in any way like you’re not getting a fair deal, contacting a qualified attorney can be the answer to your problem. Workers’ compensation claims can fall under personal injury laws, and an attorney knows how to fight these low-ball tactics.
When you’re hurt, you need the freedom to recover, recuperate and get your life back. You want to get back to work, you want to heal and you don’t need the stress of fighting for every penny you need to do it. A lawyer with experience in this area can take up the fight on your behalf, allowing you to focus on getting better while getting all of the coverage to which you are entitled. Read a bit more about work injury in West Texas, and contact us for a consultation about your case today.
Recent Comments