When a person experiences an injury at work, it can be stressful and complicated to resolve. Sometimes the injury results in loss of hours, or even a loss of one’s mental or physical health. Acting quickly and appropriately in filing a work injury claim is necessary to speed up the process of receiving financial help with medical bills or other compensation that may be owed to you.
Consider the six steps below if you have had the unfortunate event of being injured on the job:
Step 1: Notify your employer immediately. They need to know exactly when and how the incident occurred. Reporting verbally, as well as in writing, is the best way to handle the situation.
Step 2: Fill out a claim form. Your employer is supposed to file a claim with their insurance after the accident occurs. If they do not do this, you are able to file one with the state.
Step 3: Get qualified medical help. Your employer should have a list of designated providers that you are able to see for your injury. You should be provided with a list of four medical providers to choose from. Often, a place of employment may try to sway you to one particular doctor. You should always have a choice though.
Step 4: Understanding medical billing. You should get help for your injuries immediately so they do not become worse. Medical bills should go to your employer unless the claim is denied – in that case they will make you responsible for the bills.
Step 5: Receiving compensation. The amount of compensation you receive if based on two thirds of your weekly salary. This should be paid to you every two weeks. If you do not miss two or three days of work, you may not be eligible to receive compensation.
Step 6: Responding to a denied claim. If your employer has denied your claim, you can file an application to have your claim reviewed. There are various reasons a claim may be denied. For example, perhaps there is a lack of information or the insurer may question that the accident happened at work.
If you have experienced an injury at your place of employment and are not getting the cooperation from your employer that you deserve, please contact a qualified workers’ compensation attorney to help guide you through this difficult process.
For more information regarding workers injuries, browse the work injury guide provided on our website.