Don't Delay When It Comes To Worker's Compensation Claims
Getting injured while performing a task for work can be physically, mentally, and emotionally traumatic. Not only must you suffer from the injury, but you also have to worry about losing your pay while you recover. In almost every state it is required that employers maintain worker's compensation insurance to cover these injuries. However, it isn't always as simple as filing a claim. Here is a bit about what to expect when you must use worker's comp medical insurance.
Report the Injury
The first thing you must do is report the injury to your employer. Even if you are worried it will create trouble with your boss it must be reported. It is important to understand that any injury while performing a job for your boss, regardless of whether you were at fault or not, needs to be reported. It should also be noted that if you become ill due to something at the workplace or while performing a task for work also needs to be reported. This means that something as accidental as if you were out taking some mail to the post office for work and trip and fall through a plate glass window happens, you need to report it.
File the Claim
You and your employer will fill out all the paperwork to file the claim. You must provide as much proof of what occurred as possible with the claim forms. Make sure to have any medical documentation, any witness statements, and include pictures of the injury and the injury scene if possible. The claim will be filed directly to the insurance company and to the state's worker's compensation agency.
Insurance Investigation
The insurance company will investigate the claim. They will contact your employer, the medical professionals who treated you, and anyone else who witnessed the injury taking place. Once they have completed the investigation they will determine whether or not to make a payment on the claim. If for some reason the claim is denied, you have the right to appeal the decision. It is a good idea to seek legal help at this point.
The insurance benefits will pay all bills resulting from any worker's comp medical treatments. They will also pay any wages you lost while recuperating. Just remember you must report the injury or illness as soon as possible after it happens. There is a deadline for filing the claim with the worker's compensation agency. A missed deadline will result in denial and if you wait too long to file, it can look suspicious.