Injuries at work aren't uncommon. In fact, there's a chance that something could happen to you, no matter what kind of workplace you're in. If something happens to you at work and causes you an unexpected injury, you might be unsure of what should happen next. Workers' compensation insurance is in place for events like this, but it is often possible to make mistakes as you attempt to claim it. Before you sabotage your workers' compensation claim and get denied, use these pointers.
Report Injury Now
After an injury, the motivation to complete paperwork and track down the right people to help you get compensation for your injury can be minimal. You must realize that time limits for requesting workers' compensation exist as well. Blowing past those time limits will almost always mean that your claim cannot be evaluated. Therefore, you must report to your manager right away that an injury has occurred (if they don't already realize). You should start completing an application for workers' comp benefits right away too. You can get the necessary application from your HR department.
Don't Overshare Your Condition
You may want to talk to everyone about your injury after it occurs. However, not only is this unwise, but it could cause trouble for any outstanding claims you have. That's in part because you might start taking advice that isn't necessarily smart or beneficial. If your friend at work, for example, tells you what an acquaintance of theirs did in a similar situation, that doesn't mean you should do it too. Your manager could be effective and supportive, but their advice about workers' compensation could be missing key information. You should only be speaking to your company's HR department about injury-related details. You might also want a lawyer in your corner to talk with about the various nuances of workers' compensation law; because a lawyer is acting solely for you and not your company, they could be the best person to converse with about this situation.
See Corporate Physician
Your own doctor has probably been consulted by this point, and you may see no immediate benefit to visiting the doctor that your company is asking you to see. However, an independent exam with that other doctor is vital. It's very easy to be denied if you aren't complying with protocol. Keep your appointment with the doctor your company wants you to see. Their examination of you should support what your own doctor says.
If you need legal help with workers' comp or a workplace injury, contact a resource like the Law Office of Joel A. Santos.
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