Thousands of workers are injured annually while at the workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one worker succumbed to workplace injuries every 99 minutes in 2019, while over 99,000 others retained non-fatal injuries.
Despite the prevalence of workplace injuries and the increasing number of workers compensation claims, only a few victims are usually compensated.
Some of these claims are denied not because the injuries and illnesses aren’t legit, but because of the mistakes made while or before filing the claim.
You may have a legit workers compensation claim, but if you make the following mistakes, your chances of compensation dwindle significantly:
Some employees are usually reluctant about reporting their injuries because they don’t want to ruin their relationship with their employers or because they can’t afford to stay home. Others assume the injuries aren’t that serious, and that they’ll go away with time.
Unfortunately, failing to report the incident immediately negatively impacts their shot at compensation.
Why? Workers compensation claims are subject to the statute of limitations.
For instance, in California, an injured employee is required to report a workplace accident in writing to their employer within 30 days, and file a claim within a year. In states like Colorado, one is required to do within four days to maintain full eligibility.
Similar to any other businesses, insurance companies are out here to reap as much profits possible. So, when a risk occurs, they’ll try to settle as soon as they can, with as little as possible.
They’ll take advantage of your lack of knowledge about workers compensation, and will convince you to take whatever they offer. This might seem like a good thing because all you want as an employee is to get over and done with it.
Unfortunately, the moment you accept the offer there’s no going back. That means if your injuries worsen, or if the resulting medical bill is higher than what you were offered, you’ll have to pay out of pocket.
When you seek legal counsel, you’ll avoid making such a mistake. Your workers compensation attorney will also advise you on what to do, and what to avoid to avoid claim denial.
After an injury or illness at the workplace, one may be tempted to provide inaccurate information about the incident or falsify health records to get more compensation than they deserve.
For instance, an employee who suffered a dislocated arm while working may falsify their records to show they broke their arm so they can claim more benefits.
This is called workers compensation fraud, and may result in not only your claim being denied, but also jail time.
You may report your injuries immediately and get treatment for them, but if you don’t follow your doctor’s orders, you risk your claim being denied.
Your employer’s insurance company may argue you are intentionally prolonging your pain, or worsening your condition so you can claim more benefits.
Skipping doctor’s appointments, not taking your medications, and doing things you’ve been restricted are a few examples of things that jeopardize your claim.
Worker’s compensation is a murky field. A slight mistake might be the thin line between successful claim compensation, and denial.
Ensure you get the best worker’s compensation attorney to walk with you. Luckily you don’t have to look further because our team is waiting to hear from you. Drop us a line to schedule an obligation free consultation.
blogs
Four Surprising Myths about Motorcycle Accidents and Injuries
Motorcycles have become a pretty popular way to get around in the country. In California alone, there are over 790,000 registered motorcycles. This number is set to increase as more people choose the convenience and the fun that comes with getting around on a motorcycle. But despite these increasing numbers, there are countless myths and […]
Lemon Laws and How They Have Impacted Jeep Car Recalls
Lemon Laws and How They Have Impacted Jeep Car Recalls Purchasing a car calls for careful consideration if you are to find a reliable model that suits your needs. More importantly, you need to understand existing laws concerning the warranty, equity, insurance, and various other crucial aspects. Lemon laws are designed to protect buyers from […]
Winter Rideshare Safety Tips
Winter driving is no joke in general. Everyone needs to slow down and be sure to take the proper winter driving precautions, but if you drive a rideshare, your point-to-point driving makes you more vulnerable to getting in an accident than if you were simply driving to and from work. Add to this the dangers […]
Five Things to Check Before a Car Trip
Before a long car ride, we are talking anywhere from 100 miles and up, there are things to check out. Having a good mechanic is key if you are lucky enough to find one. But it is also essential to have some idea of what makes your car run safely, at a basic level. We […]
Personal Injury Law In California
In California, many individuals fall victim to wrongful diagnosis, automobile accidents, motorcycle accidents, truck accidents, dog bites, catastrophic injuries, nursing home negligence, train accidents, and pedestrian accidents due to other people’s carelessness. That is why the California personal injury law is in existence. It aims at protecting the moral and legal entitlements of those injured […]
Rearview Cameras and You
While it was in 2018 that the rearview camera requirement went into effect on all new vehicles, the whole debate started in 2008. That was the year Congress passed a law for automakers to take steps to increase visibility. The debate was prompted by a horrible tragedy where a father accidentally backed over his infant […]
Common Causes of Car Accidents – and Ways to Avoid Them
Car accidents are an increasingly common source of injuries and loss of property and life. Every year, there are estimated to be over six million car accidents, in the US alone. We drive everywhere, and even short distances pose a hazard to drivers, as well as pedestrians and people on bicycles. The loss of property […]
Four Arizona Workers’ Compensation Tips
If you live in Arizona and you suffer an injury while on the job, you should know your rights, in terms of representation, potential compensation, and the laws surrounding workers’ compensation. You should make sure to seek proper medical care, as well, and be certain to keep records of communications and treatments for future reference, […]
Statute of Limitations and Personal Injury
For many of us, when a personal injury occurs there can be a lot of mixed feelings. Some people may feel guilty that they got injured, even when the blame lies with someone else. The first concerns you will obviously have will be about your health and safety. You may not even be considering what […]
Dealing with Dog Bites
Dog bites, dog attacks and maulings by dogs are a problem the world over. Sometimes these injuries can be fatal. They tend to affect children most (most children have been bitten by a dog they know by age 11), but can happen to anyone. It can be helpful to understand some techniques for avoiding dog […]
contact form
