Working at a salon does not seem to be a dangerous job, but the fact is between the sharp utensils used to cut hair and frequent encounters with slippery floors, hairdressers face dangerous working conditions on a daily basis. If you are a hairdresser that has suffered an injury on the job, you need to know everything there is to know about workers’ compensation. As a form of insurance that provides income for professionals that suffer an injury in the workplace, workers’ compensation also delivers medical benefits to ease the financial burden caused by missed time at work. First Things First The classic saying “Don’t put the cart before the horse” is especially appropriate when discussing workers’ compensation claims. In virtually every state, the first step on the road to earning workers’ compensation benefits is to notify your employer of an occupational-related illness or injury. For a hairdresser, this can mean informing the company that employs you or the salon that contracts with you to cut hair in a company-operated salon. The longer you wait to tell your employer about a work-related illness or injury, the less likely the employer’s insurance company will view your claim in a favorable manner. You should also seek immediate medical care to ensure every symptom triggered by a work-related illness or injury receives expert attention. File Your Report Since workers’ compensation is a state-run program, the state where you live handles the processing of a claim. After you inform your employer about a work-related illness or injury, the next step is to complete every form mandated by your state to process a workers’ compensation claim. Your employer then submits the paperwork to the state, as well as to its insurance company. Some states require the submission of additional forms to the state workers’ compensation agency. The Waiting Game The investigation conducted by your employer’s insurance company, as well as the state workers’ compensation agency, can take a few weeks to unfold. Most states give insurance companies between two and four weeks to complete workers’ compensation investigations. If your claim receives approval from your employer’s insurance company, you should start to receive benefits in a couple of weeks. However, the goal of an insurance company investigation is to minimize the financial loss associated with a workers’ compensation claim. You can expect employer’s insurance company to work hard at placing the blame for the work-related illness or injury on your shoulders. One of the most common reasons why insurers and state workers’ compensation boards denies a claim is because the illness or the injury did not happen while an employee was on the job. For example, a hairdresser that slipped and fell at home, and later experienced hip pain at work, might not be eligible to receive any money under a state workers’ compensation program. Speak with a Licensed Workers’ Compensation Attorney Filing a workers’ compensation claim is one thing. Making sure your claim carries a significant amount of legal weight is quite another thing. Instead of having to deal with your employer’s insurance company on your own, reach out to a state licensed workers’ compensation lawyer to boost the chances of you earning money from your state’s workers’ compensation program. Hiring an attorney does not cost you any upfront money, as most workers’ compensation lawyers work on a “You win, I win” payment model. Schedule a free initial consultation today with a workers’ compensation attorney. Additional Resources What You Need to Know If You Get Hurt As a Hairdresser What Might My WC Claim as an Injured Hairdresser Be Worth?
