Workers’ compensation is a kind of insurance that employers have that covers cases where an employee has been injured on the job. In the event of a workplace injury, workers’ compensation should provide much needed medical benefits and other financial assistance to the injured worker. To help ensure that you have access to workers’ compensation benefits after a workplace accident, you should follow certain steps. While
workers’ compensation is supposed to exist to protect workers, it can often be a struggle to get a workers’ compensation carrier to pay out on a claim.
Sustaining an Injury at Work
After being injured in the workplace, you need to seek medical care as soon as possible. This is not only vital to helping you properly address your injury so you heal, but it is also critical to your workers’ compensation claim. Be sure that you seek treatment from a doctor of medical facility that is approved by your employer. A list of approved medical providers should be posted somewhere in your workplace.
You must also notify your employer of your workplace injury. It is okay to wait until you get that initial treatment for your injury and you are in a more stable state, but you should notify your employer as soon as possible. It should be reported to your employer within thirty days from the date of the accident. It is best to notify them in writing and give it to the necessary person such as your supervisor or someone who handles workers’ compensation in the human resources department. In the notice you provide to your employer, you should provide details of the accident that resulted in your injury. For instance, specify when and where it occurred. Also, provide details regarding which physician you sought treatment from after the accident.
Your employer will, in turn, report your injury to their workers’ compensation insurance provider. If, for some reason, your employer fails to do so, the contact information for the workers’ compensation carrier should be posted somewhere in the workplace. You can contact them and notify them of your injuries. The medical coverage provided by workers’ compensation should begin immediately and pay for all accident injury related costs. The partial wage replacement benefits provided for by workers’ compensation should start after you are out of work for seven days.
Workers' Compensation Attorneys
Being injured at work can be scary and uncomfortable. It is of the utmost importance that you prioritize your health and seek the medical care you need. Again, be sure that the medical provider is approved by your employer to help ensure that your medical bills are covered by workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation insurance providers, like most insurance companies, will use any excuse to get out of paying you what you deserve. For any questions you may have about the workers’ compensation system, The Cassidy Law Firm is here with answers.
Contact us today.