An on-the-job injury can turn life as you know it upside down. Your physical injuries can not only be painful but also prohibitive on your ability to work. As a result, you can lose out on much needed wages that can impact every aspect of your stability at a time when you need resources to further your recovery.
A workers’ compensation claim might get you the financial support you need, but there are strict requirements that must be met before you can secure these benefits. This week, we want to briefly look at some key workers’ compensation timelines.
Workers’ compensation deadlines you need to know
There are some key deadlines that you have to meet to recover workers’ compensation benefits. The first is reporting your injury. Under California law, you must report your work-related injury or illness to your employer within 30 days.
The next major deadline is filing your claim. A claim for workers’ compensation benefits must be filed within 1 year of the incident that gave rise to your injury. If your injuries are cumulative, such as when you’ve suffered a repetitive stress injury, the clock starts ticking when you miss work on account of your condition, or when your doctor renders an opinion that your injuries are work related.
There might be extenuating circumstances that warrant an exception to the 1-year statute of limitations in your case, but these exceptions are usually limited to circumstances where the victim was comatose, subjected to prolonged treatment, or was forced to quarantine.
Don’t miss your opportunity to recover workers’ compensation benefits
There’s a lot that can go wrong during the workers’ compensation claims process, but you can minimize the risk by educating yourself as to the process and its requirements. Then you can work collaboratively with your attorney to craft a persuasive claim in hopes of recovering the financial resources that you need.