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
Motorcycle Safety Tips
Riding a motorcycle is exhilarating and freeing. It also can be quite dangerous. Equip yourself with preparedness to ensure every trip you take ends only with a smile and a safe arrival. As always, if the unfortunate does happen, navigating the aftermath of a motorcycle accident is a large undertaking. We are here to help […]
5 Ways Parents can Encourage Safe Teen Driving
For teenagers, getting a driver’s license is a significant milestone. It marks the beginning of independence and instills a sense of responsibility. Most teen parents often share their children’s excitement but remain equally apprehensive since they’re well-aware of the dangers that come with driving. And they do have a perfectly valid reason to fret because […]
Looking Out for Motorcycles
In 2019, the number of deaths caused by motorcycles was found to be 29 times that of deaths caused by cars. Motorcycles can go very fast, they have no sides to protect the rider, they are more difficult to see on the road and they do not perform well in bad weather. While it is […]
Five Apps for Bicyclists
Bicycle accidents happen all the time in the United States, and practicing bicycle safety is relatively simple – it just involves a lot of mindful riding and the safest possible equipment. Another part of safe bicycle riding is making sure you have your routes planned out and, in the case of an emergency, it doesn’t […]
Defensive Driving During a Summer of Distracted Drivers
With warm weather, we’re all trying to relax as best we can, wherever we can. Unfortunately, some people can take this a little too far, and find themselves incredibly distracted when in the driver’s seat. Not only that, but with heat exhaustion a possibility, some drivers could be making even worse decisions. It’s your job […]
The Most Unsafe Era for Pedestrians in 40 Years
Pedestrian safety is of utmost importance right now, and not just because pedestrians legally have the right of way in most places in the United States. Being asafer pedestrian is always key to avoiding injuries by being aware of ones surroundings and avoiding distractions, but as it stands, North Americans are not stemming the tide […]
Workers’ Compensation Laws in California
Accidents can be very prevalent at work. Some of the common injuries in workplaces include industry deafness as a result of working in a noisy area for a long time, a broken arm from slipping, or a muscle strain from carrying heavy loads. In many cases, employees injured at work usually receive unfair treatment and […]
Car Crashes and Pedestrians in LA
Every year, we check over grim statistics about car accidents, fatalities, damages, and injuries. We always hope that the number will go down, that we will have learned something from the previous years. Unfortunately, though, that is not always the case. But that doesn’t mean that it is not worth it to try. Just knowing […]
Pedestrian Safety
For obvious reasons, there’s much more discussion out there about safe driving, or even safe bicycle riding, than there is about being a safe pedestrian. After all, it seems like we should just be able to walk safely down a street, and especially where pedestrians have right of way, walking seems like the safest option. […]
Five Products for Truck Driver Safety
Truck drivers are the backbone of the economy, and their safety is of the utmost importance. Not only are they at special risk of trafficaccidents, but truck driving comes with a host of other dangers. The easiest way to stay safe while driving any vehicle is being aware of your surroundings and making sure your […]
contact form
