To say a lumber jack works in a dangerous environment is an understatement. From power saws that possess razor sharp teeth to huge falling trees that crush limbs, lumber jacks have to pay focused attention on what surrounds them. Unfortunately, the law of statistics catches up to many lumber jacks in the form of work-related illnesses and injuries. If you are a lumber jack that has suffered an illness or an injury on the job, you might qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. In 1911, Wisconsin passed the first workers’ compensation law and nearly 30 years later, Mississippi became the last state to do the same. Run by each of the 50 states, workers’ compensation represents a type of insurance that provides displaced workers with income to replace lost wages and to pay for medical expenses. The primary intent of workers’ compensation legislation was to limit the number of court cases associated with work-related accidents. Before You File Since most states place the onus of funding workers’ compensation claims on employers, it is critically important to let your company know about a work-related injury as soon as possible after an accident. The longer you wait to inform your employer, the less likely the claim you file comes back to you approved. Employers and their insurers become highly skeptical of workers’ compensation claims that employees submit a week or more after an alleged incident at work. You also need to seek immediate medical assistance for two reasons. First, a timely visit to a doctor’s office confirms the presence of symptoms that prove you suffer from an illness or an injury. Second, you need to submit medical documentation of your symptoms with your workers’ compensation claim. Submitting a Valid Claim Another reason to let your employer know about a work-related illness or injury in a timely manner is because your employer gives you the paperwork to fill out for a workers’ compensation claim. After you complete the required documents, your employer is responsible for submitting the forms to its insurance company and if mandated by law, to the state workers’ compensation office. If for any reason you have trouble completing the required workers compensation paperwork, do not hesitate to contact your local workers’ compensation office to receive help. An improperly filled out workers’ compensation claim is like not sending a claim at all. Denial is a Possibility Employer insurance companies investigate workers’ compensation claims with the motivation of the most accomplished CSI. There are several reasons why your claim might come back denied. A common reason for denial is many workers never let their employers know about an incident at work that caused an illness or an injury. If you fail to report an incident at work, your employer is unable to conduct an investigation that validates your workers’ compensation claim. This can lead to an allegation that you are trying to defraud the company of money. After an incident at work that triggers an illness or an injury, your employer should require you to take a drug test. If the drug test comes back positive, you can expect to have your workers’ compensation claim denied. Filing a workers’ compensation claim requires a dedication to details, as well as crossing off every box on a legal to do list. To ensure you submit the most persuasive workers’ compensation claim, contact a state licensed lawyer who specializes in handling workers’ compensation cases. Additional Resources Lumber Jacks and Workers Compensation Help! I was hurt working for 84 Lumber!
