Unfortunately, some of us might find ourselves one day in an unfortunate situation that changes our lives forever. More often than not, these unfortunate situations take the form of accidents at the workplace. If the accident is serious enough, you might not be able to continue work. If this is the case, you’ll have to make a claim for worker’s compensation.
The claims process for worker’s compensation can be arduous as the agencies involved do their best to weed out anyone trying to game the system and stay home from work. A negative side effect of this practice is that many people who rightfully need worker’s compensation might find themselves with less money than what they are entitled to every month. To help rectify this situation, it is important that the person making the claim do everything in their best interests to have the claim processed.
Here’s how you can do just that:
Don’t Delay In Reporting
It is of the utmost importance that the injury is reported immediately so it can be properly documented. Everything from the extent of the injury to where it occurred on the worksite should be meticulously reported at your soonest opportunity. Even the slightest of injuries that might translate into an inability to work should be reported. Some claims will even be outright denied if reporting occurred too late a date compared to the incident. Report it, document it, and always have that information on hand.
Collect As Much Data As Possible
Part of receiving workers’ compensation is being able to properly demonstrate that a) an injury has been sustained, and that b) this injury was a direct result of properly doing a job within regulations. The onus is often on the person making the claim to prove their case. This means having a detailed report explaining the circumstances around the accident and how the specific injury was sustained. Any x-rays or doctor’s recommendations should be documented and given to the worker’s compensation board. Collecting data on your medical needs & specifics is also useful to your doctor who will make sure you receive the right level of care.
The Original Forms Matter The Most
Any forms signed immediately after the accident that directly connects to what occurred will be factored in the most heavily by your employer as well as any worker’s compensation agencies. If you are too tired or emotionally drained to accurately fill out the form to the best of your ability, you are completely entitled to delay filling out those forms until you are sound of mind. Photocopies of these forms are important to have on standby, also make sure that all relevant departments in your workplace also have a copy of all original forms relating to the accident.
Choose Your Lawyer Carefully
It might seem that getting worker’s compensation is a fairly easy process, but different lawyers have different turnaround times & success rates depending on who you choose. Elect to choose local lawyers who have connections in the area. If you live in Georgia, Macon workers compensation lawyer is all you’d have to look for to make sure you have access to knowledgeable people close by. Many law practices have very large websites now, if they have a large section with lots of supporting data about their experiences with worker’s compensation cases then there’s a good chance they are a cut above other options in your area.
Don’t Give Up Prematurely
It isn’t uncommon for a claim to be denied once or twice before finally making its way through, so perseverance is necessary. If any of your claims are denied, look carefully at any reasoning as to why it didn’t make the cut, these will be the things you will be focusing on next time around. So long as you remember to document everything and report everything on time, you’ve dealt with most of the time sensitive aspects of getting compensation already, the actual claims process itself can have a few hiccups without you having to get too worried.
Always Be Consistent
Minor deviations in how you recount how your injury occurred or what you’ve suffered as a consequence can bite you in the rear end if you absolutely need your claim to be approved. Any discrepancies are seen by the insurer to be indicative of foul play/a possibly fraudulent claim. Know what you said and where and stick to your guns. If your version of events is ever questioned, do not backpedal or suggest that you might have misremembered some of the details, that sort of behaviour might make you seem like an unreliable source of information.
Get Medical Care Immediately
If you truly are hurt and need care, don’t delay in seeking out that care whether or not the claim has been fully processed. This way, all of the expenses directly relating to your accident can be clustered very closely after the accident itself, making it easier for the insurance company to want to deal with. Those who immediately seek medical care are also seen as more genuine as it gives the impression that they truly did need medical attention.
Don’t Give The Insurance Company The Upper Hand
If you feel like something might be used against you, there’s a good chance you’re right. Most commonly this occurs in the form of asking for a taped statement. It might seem like a good idea to have your point of view recorded and on hand, but the insurance company will use it as a benchmark to compare literally everything else you say against. Minor discrepancies will be blown out of proportion in an attempt to block your claim.
Never settle for less than what you’re entitled to. Especially don’t let anyone tell you that your injury isn’t serious enough or your life isn’t negatively impacted enough for you to be compensated more fairly. Always stick to your guns and let the insurance company know that you’re as serious as your workplace incident was. In the end, you have a lot more to gain than you do to lose.
