There are few exceptions in most states to state law on workers’ compensation insurance. A significant employer like iHop, or any other restaurant, should have workers’ comp. insurance. The benefits are supposed to be mutual. Working at a place like iHop, or any other restaurant, means that if you are injured you should be able to file a claim for compensation. However, the same legislation makes it difficult to sue your own employer for more money. Insurers have the first right of rejection if they are not happy with the original claim. You may have made a mistake with the documentation or the insurer got the wrong information from your own employer. Whatever the reason, in many cases a denied claim decision can be contested and any simple error detected, allowing the claim to go ahead once again. Contact The Insurance Company iHop’s, or any other restaurant, insurance provider may, or may not, have given you a reasonable description of the reason for denying the claim. They may believe, for instance that you simply were not at work when the accident happened and are claiming for a pre-existing injury. Did you get your supervisor at work know about the accident? If you were badly injured, you may have thought that someone else did that for you, but every accident dos have to be officially recorded somewhere; otherwise, the injury cannot be categorized as a workplace injury. It is best to contact iHop’s, or any other restaurant, insurer directly if you are not satisfied with their decision. If there doesn’t seem to be any way to get the insurer to change their mind about your claim, you should then see a lawyer and consider filing an appeal. File Your Workers’ Comp. Appeal Workers’ compensation claim appeals are not decided every week. There is an established procedure you need to follow. First there may be an attempt at mediation. The mediator is appointed by the state WC authority, such as a WC Board or Agency. A neutral mediator can sometimes broker an amicable agreement which couldn’t happen when it was just you and the insurer communicating. If mediation is not a success, the state WC representative appointed to your case will appoint a judge to hear evidence at a formal hearing. This is more like a court appearance. You should make a good attempt at providing evidence at the hearing which will convince the judge to support your claim. Even if the judge makes a decision which goes against you, there are further stages of appeal which you can take with the help of your lawyer. A Workers’ Compensation Attorney Can Help File an Appeal It is not a good idea to try and work through an appeal without a lawyer. An experienced workers’ compensation lawyer will know what to do and what documentation you should have available at both mediation and more formal hearings. Additional Resources Help! I was Hurt Working for IHOP! Workers' Compensation Filing Process Disclaimer: The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against iHop, or any other party, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
