The workers’ compensation system can give you the financial relief that you need while you focus on recovering from your injuries and getting back to work. But given that this relief can be expensive to your employer’s insurance company, you might face some pushback on your claim. If you don’t anticipate this and build a thorough case, then you might see your claim denied, thus putting you in a difficult financial position.
If you’ve been injured in a workplace accident, you need to do everything you can to build a legally sound, persuasive case. But how do you go about doing that? Let’s take a closer look.
Steps to take to build an effective workers’ compensation case
There’s a lot that goes into a workers’ compensation case. If you want your claim to be effective, then you’ll have to do the following:
- Follow all reporting requirements: After you’ve been injured on the job, you’re required to report your injuries within a certain period of time. If you don’t, then the insurance company is going to have an opportunity to argue that your claim should be denied. So, don’t hesitate to inform your employer when you’ve been hurt at work.
- Seek medical treatment and follow recommendations: Far too many injured workers try to tough out their injuries. By foregoing needed medical treatment, though, they cut the legs out from their workers’ compensation case. To make your claim as effective as possible, seek prompt medical care after suffering a workplace injury and be sure to follow all of your doctor’s treatment and care recommendations. If you don’t, then the insurance company will be able to argue that your injuries aren’t as severe as you claim them to be.
- Crate a written record: You don’t want your memory of your workplace accident to get cloudy over time to the point that you can’t clearly remember what occurred. So, keep a journal that details what happened to you and the surrounding circumstances. It’s also helpful to keep a written log of your conversations with your employer and the insurance company about your claim, that way you can easily recall them when you need to.
- Gather all relevant evidence: You don’t want to walk into your case with only some of the evidence you need. Be diligent in gathering evidence like medical records, accident reports, photographs, witness accounts, and any relevant workplace safety records. There’s no such thing as being too prepared or having too much evidence.
- Be prepared to deal with the insurance company: It’s inevitable that you’re going to have to interact with the insurance company. For example, you’ll be forced to undergo an independent medical examination so that the insurance company can obtain a second opinion about the nature and extent of your injuries. So, ,know how to successfully navigate whatever the insurance company throws your way.
Don’t leave your workers’ compensation claim to chance
There’s simply too much at stake to allow your workers’ compensation case to play out without thorough preparation. To maximize your chances of winning your case and recovering the compensation you need, then, consider following the tips laid out above and working with your attorney to do whatever else is needed to position yourself for success. Hopefully then you’ll have peace of mind as you head into your case and can achieve the outcome necessary to allow you to focus on your health and reclaiming your future.