While you don’t have to go out to your way to prove your employer’s negligence when it comes to workers’ compensation, you do have to put in a bit of effort to ensure you get every penny you’re owed for your injury. Learn a few tips for making the most of your workers’ compensation claim so you have one less thing to worry about while on the road to recovery.
Report Your Injury ASAP
Was your injury sustained on the clock, or while you were on your own time? Either way, you should at least bring the injury and your concerns to your employer’s attention. You have a limited amount of time to report your injury, and it’s always best to act sooner rather than later. By the time your injury worsens to a degree that you know for a fact you sustained it on your job, you could be out of time to file a claim. Go ahead and get the ball rolling and see how things shake out.
See a Doctor
One thing you can do to help narrow down the cause of your injury is to see a doctor about it. Let the physician know what you do on a day-to-day basis in your position and how you think you may have become injured. Not only can a doctor narrow down the cause of the injury, but she can also provide you with the medical documentation necessary to build your workers’ compensation case. Because you’re dealing with your employer’s insurance company, you need to provide hard evidence that you’re injured and that your injury is as severe as you believe it to be. Otherwise, you may not receive as much compensation as you’re legally entitled to.
Work With an Attorney
Just because you don’t have to prove negligence doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bring in legal experts. On the contrary, firms like Shook & Stone have the experience and education necessary to help you prepare for the road ahead. You also need someone in your corner to help you understand how workers’ compensation works so you know how long it could take before you start receiving benefits and how to spend your compensation wisely. Be open and honest with your lawyer. Remember, she or he is there to help you, not judge you.
Keep Detailed Records
Any paperwork concerning your injury and compensation case should be kept in an organized binder. No matter how minor the detail or slip of paper may seem, it could prove vital to your case. For instance, keep up with your initial injury report, all documents you filled out for workers compensation, doctor’s notes and reports, and all correspondence between you and your employer and your employer’s insurance company. Share your records with your lawyer, and be sure to ask if there’s anything else you may need to add to your records.
Just as you likely sustained your injury through no purposeful fault on your own, you don’t have to go through the workers’ compensation process alone. Enlist the help of medical and legal professionals who have gone through this situation before, and be sure to put the above tips to good use.
