Submitted by rsg on Thu, 04/30/2020 - 12:21 rsg's Blog Most employers are required by state and federal law to have workers’ compensation insurance. This type of insurance is used to provide compensation for employees who may have been hurt while working or have developed a work-related illness. This compensation is used to help assist with medical bills and making up for missed wages. If you were injured while working, you may be able to file a claim for workers’ compensation. Here’s how to apply for workers’ compensation: 1. Speak With Your Employer When you’re injured on the job, you’ll first need to notify your employer about the injury. This includes telling them the date and time of the injury, how the injury transpired, and the extent of the injury. If you’re able to, notify your employer as soon as the injury has occurred. The longer you wait to report the injury, the harder it can be to show that the injury occurred at work. Once your employer is notified, they should provide the appropriate forms for you to fill out to start the claims process. Your employer may also begin their own investigation of the incident. 2. Get Medical Attention If you have not yet had medical attention, you’ll need to do so. Your employer’s insurance may require you use one of their doctors to do an assessment. Even if you already received care from your own doctor, ask your employer or their insurer about what kind of medical exams they require for a workers’ compensation claim. 3. Maintain Evidence One key component of a workers’ compensation claim is proving that your injury did occur at work, and it was not due to your own negligence. If you can, gather any surveillance or video recordings for the incident as well as any photos of the injuries and area where the accident happened. If there were witnesses, try to get statements about what they saw. As you receive medical attention, keep copies of your invoices and bills. These will be used to help determine the amount of compensation you should receive. If you required any tests or medical exams, keep the results. Ask your doctor for copies of the notes to further help support your claim. This can all be used to show the injury occurred at work and how you should receive in compensation. 4. Promptly Respond to the Insurer When a workers’ compensation claim is filed with an insurance company, they will then open their own investigation about the incident. They may require more information about the incident or copies of medical documents. If they request more information from you, respond promptly. The faster you are able to get them what they need for the investigation, the quicker the claims process will be. If you do not hear anything from your insurer, send a follow up to make sure they received everything or do not need anything else from you. 5. Get Help With Your Claim Filing a workers’ compensation claim can be a tedious process. Depending on your injury or illness, you may not be able to file a claim or gather supporting evidence yourself. A workers’ compensation lawyer can help. They should be able to collect the supporting documents, file a claim, as well as negotiate with the insurance company about a settlement amount. Many compensation lawyers do not require a down payment. Instead, payment will likely not be required until you win your claim. Complete the Free Case Evaluation on this page to get in touch with a lawyer that takes cases in your area today!
