When you leave home for work, you look forward to a fruitful day, both for yourself and your employer. The last thing on your mind is getting hurt or falling ill as a result of your work. Unfortunately, workplace injuries happen all the time. And some of these injuries can be life-altering or, worse still, fatal. If you are injured or fall ill as a result of your work, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation for your damages.
Workers’ compensation is a state-regulated insurance scheme that provides payment for medical treatment and lost income to employees who are hurt at work. Without this program, most employees would have a hard time making ends meet following a workplace-related injury or illness. Unfortunately, many injured workers make costly mistakes that result in the denials of their claims.
Here are simple tips that can help you avoid a workers’ comp denial:
Report your injury and file your claim on time
The process of seeking compensation for your workplace injury begins with reporting the injury in question to your employer. And it is important that you file this report as soon as you can. In California, you have 30 days from the date of the accident to inform your employer of your injury – in writing.
Alongside reporting, it is also important that you file your claim within the statute of limitations. In California, you have one year from the date of your injury to file or you will lose your right to benefits.
Follow through with your doctor’s treatment regime
Whatever your treating physician orders, it’s important to remain compliant with the plan. Do not skip medical appointments, refuse to try new treatments (without good cause) or drop out of physical therapy. All of that is a signal that you’re either not as injured as you claim or you’ve recovered – and that could be disastrous to your claim.
When you suffer a work-related injury or illness, it is important to know the steps you should take to file your workers’ compensation claim and have your benefits approved. If your claim isn’t going as expected, it may be time to get some help.