(ThyBlackMan.com) Getting injured on the job can be both stressful and financially devastating if you are not prepared. This is especially true if you are going to be out of work for an extended time period. Fortunately, when you are injured on the job you do have access to workers comp insurance. However, if you do not take the right steps to utilize this insurance then you might find it difficult to make ends meet. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people out there that don’t take the right steps and run into tons of problems when trying to make their claims. Below, you will learn how you can avoid such complications.
Not Reporting Injuries Right Away
The first thing that needs to happen is that you need to get the
injury on the book. Report the injury immediately to your employer as soon at it happens. There will be a timeline for reporting the injury and if you wait too late, you could be denied coverage. Regardless of how serious the injury is it needs to be reported immediately.
Not Seeking Medical Care
Once again, it doesn’t matter how serious the injury, you should always seek out medical treatment. A simple injury that might seem benign might turn out to be something serious down the road. Medical professionals not only can identify these types of cases, but they can help you recover quicker and fuller in the event that the injury is serious. Within hours of the injury, you should seek out medical attention.
Not Hiring A Lawyer
Most workers that are injured on the job don’t think that they need a workers compensation lawyer since their employer guarantees them coverage. Well, coverage is not really guaranteed by the employer but the insurance company that your employer has coverage through. You might be surprised to learn that you can be denied coverage. Workers comp is something that is not absolute. If there are any existential circumstances where the insurance can deny coverage they will use them against you. A lawyer can help fight to get you coverage as well as handle all the paperwork.
Not Considering Changing Doctors
When the injury initially takes place you will probably be required to see a doctor that is chosen by your employer’s insurance company. However, this does not mean that you have to stick with this doctor in the future. In fact, it would probably be prudent to seek out alternative medical attention as there is always a conflict of interests when dealing with insurance appointed physicians. Their doctors are primarily paid by the insurance company and may not always have your best interests in mind. In might even be smart to get a second opinion if the doctor says that the injuries aren’t serious after the initial visit.
Not Keeping Detailed Records
Even if you take on a good attorney there are still measures that you will need to take on your end. You need to keep detailed records and make copies of everything that you can. Keeps track of the miles that you are traveling back and forth to the doctors, the number of visits, the assessment of the visits, and make copies of any therapies or medications that are prescribed. Simply put, document everything with exceptional detail.
Staff Writer; Jerry Poole