Getting The Most Out Of Your Worker’s Comp Claim

Workers’ compensation is a huge benefit for employees who have sustained an injury on the job. Without workers’ comp, many injured employees would have no way to make ends meet. However, workers’ comp can be difficult to get if the appropriate steps aren’t taken. Many people miss out on the benefits they are entitled to because of simple mistakes they make during the claims process. Knowing your legal rights and responsibilities is extremely important and it’s important that you know what you should and should not do to make sure you get what you are entitled to.

Tips To Make Sure You Receive Your Benefits

• Report Your Injury – Don’t wait to report your injury. The very first thing you should do is report to your boss and write a statement. Employers should have paperwork that you can fill out so that you have immediate documentation of the injury and how it happened.
• Immediate Medical Treatment – As soon as the accident has been reported to your supervisors, get medical attention. Not only will immediate medical care help you heal faster, but the documentation you receive is an important piece of evidence in your claim. Putting off medical treatment will give workers’ comp insurance an argument that there was no accident or that the injury wasn’t that serious.
• Understand Your Benefits – There are different types of workers’ comp benefits depending on your injury and situation. Get to know the different types of insurance your state offers and the eligibility requirements. If you don’t know what is available, you won’t know what is available for YOU.
• IME – Independent Medical Examinations are exams scheduled by the insurance company to determine the extent of your injury. These appointments are required and if you don’t attend your benefits could be terminated. Prepare for these appointments by talking to an attorney that is educated and skilled in Workers’ Comp benefits.
• Be Aware Of Who Is Watching – Insurance companies do not mind putting surveillance on you to see how credible you are. They will hire PI’s to watch you at home and in public to see if your behavior and actions comply with your reports. Keep in mind that someone could be watching and that you could risk losing your benefits.
• Meetings and Appointments – Do not miss any meeting, hearing, or appointment scheduled for your case. It is important that every appointment is kept and that all requirements are met or it could mean termination of benefits.

Hire A Professional

For any type of workers’ compensation claim, it is a good idea to hire an attorney that understands your rights and responsibilities. A Workers’ comp lawyer can help you if you have been denied compensation or your benefits have been reduced, they can help if the insurance company tries to settle a benefit amount for you or if you are getting nowhere with the insurance company and nothing is happening. Knowing when to accept a settlement or if you were denied benefits for a legitimate reason is difficult. Don’t leave y0ur questions unanswered. Hire a respectable attorney that can help y0u when you just don’t know what to do. If you are in the Blackfoot, ID area, contact the professional attorneys at Baker Harris Law. They can help you when during any stage of the claims process.