FedEx, which began as a one-man company in 1973, has now grown to a 400,000 employee, full-service collective that operates in over 220 countries. With ground, air, freight, and express services, employees operate in hundreds of departments all to make deliveries as fast and convenient as possible. However, as with any job, FedEx employees are occasionally caught in unfortunate work accidents that leave them injured and/or unable to work. If you were recently injured while working for FedEx, then it is possible you may not be responsible to cover damages. Follow the tips be-low to give yourself the best chance at receiving workers’ compensation for your FedEx injury. Does FedEx Have Workers’ Compensation? Yes, FedEx does have workers’ compensation insurance for its employees as this is a requirement for most employers in most states. If you are injured while working for FedEx, you can file a claim and receive compensation for your workplace injury or illness. The important thing about an accident while in a FedEx factory, in one of its stores, or on the road, is to gather evidence that shows where, how, and why the accident took place. You should take photos of the accident site as soon as you are able to do so. You should also make contact with any potential witnesses to the accident as they can help to strengthen your case when you need to communicate with FedEx’s insurance provider. If your injury is serious and you need to go to the closest emergency room as soon as possible you should do just that as you will be compensated for the cost of this at a later date. You should keep all the receipts for any medical treatment you have already paid for. This could include the following: ambulance cost; the cost of a doctor’s consultation at an emergency room; payment you have made for the treatment you received whether it’s a broken leg or concussion; any medicines you have been given such as antibiotics and/or painkillers; any prescription medicine you have been told to buy from a pharmacy. As well as the costs associated with your injury you should also receive compensation for loss of wages from the date of the injury to the time you are able to return to work. 1. Keep evidence from the accident site. Whether you were in an accident while in the FedEx factory, in a store, or on the road, it is necessary to gather evidence of where, how, and why your accident occurred. Start by taking photos of the accident site. The closer you take pictures to the time of your accident, the more accurate (and more helpful) it will be. Be sure to also speak to witnesses in the area who saw any part of the incident — not only can their input help you understand what happened, but it can help to strengthen your case when speaking to FedEx’s insurance. 2. Seek Immediate Medical Treatment If you have had an accident when working for Fedex, don’t wait to seek treatment. Get it right away, even if you think you might feel better in a couple of days, a delay could give the employer reason to deny your claim. Also make sure to keep proper documentation of the accident. Even though a large company like Fedex takes out workers’ compensation insurance for most of its employers it doesn’t mean you can guarantee receiving what you deserve. Insurers think of any way they can deny a WC claim so it’s important you get all the facts about the accident and injury right before you file your claim. Some employers require that you get medical treatment at a medical facility and by a doctor improved by them. However, if your injury is so serious that you need to go to the nearest emergency room as quickly as possible don’t hesitate but get the medical treatment that you need. Make sure you keep all the receipts for any upfront payments you may have made so you can include them in your workers’ compensation claim. This should include receipts for the following: the cost of the ambulance; doctor’s consultation at the emergency room; treatment received e.g. for a broken leg, concussion etc; any medicines you have been administered such as antibiotics and/or painkillers; any prescription medicine you have purchased from the pharmacy. You will be asked to provide a medical report from your treating doctor with a diagnosis and likely recovery time. You need to remember to report your accident and injury to your supervisor as soon as you are able. Some employers only allow 24 hours from the accident time to do this while others give employees longer. If you are unable to do this yourself you should try to ask a work colleague or family member to do it on your behalf. 3. Save Medical Bills and Lost Wage Reports. More than anything, your health and well-being should be the #1 priority after your accident. Be sure to get whatever medical assistance you require during this time, even if it means missing work. Regardless of your situation, be sure to save copies of all hospital visits, medical notes, and prescriptions to include on your workers’ comp letter. This will help you to be reimbursed properly for your injuries. Also, keep a detailed record of all days you miss work, detailing your condition on each day and giving reason as to why you were unable to attend. This will help FedEx’s insurance maintain a detailed timeline of your costs and losses, and ensure you will get the best compensation possible. 4. Speak with HR. Because FedEx workers span a variety of fields, the workers’ comp process may differ even within branches of your own company. For instance, a FedEx worker injured while driving may be covered under different work insurance than a worker injured by a falling package in a FedEx store. HR will know how what laws apply to you, where to send your workers comp demand letter, and keep you in contact with important resources at the company throughout the process. 5. File for Workers’ Comp. Fast One of the key things about winning a successful workers’ compensation claim is filing your claim within the statute of limitations set by your state. There is no countrywide statute of limitations so each state is different. It could range from between 12 months and 3 years but you need to know this as if you fail to file your WC claim within the statute of limitations you are likely to lose your chance of eligibility for workers’ compensation. If your injury is serious, being eligible for workers’ compensation is important as it helps to prevent you suffering financial hardship for an accident that happened while you were at work. It covers the cost of all your medical treatment and a percentage of your weekly wage until you are able to return to work. If you are permanently disabled and are unable to work workers’ compensation will cover you until you are eligible for disability payments. 6. Get Help Filing Your WC Claim Because it is so important to file a workers’ compensation claim within your state’s statute of limitations if your injury prevents you from filing your workers’ compensation claim you can ask a relative to complete and file the workers’ compensation claim on your behalf. The correct form should be available to collect from Fedex, but if they don’t have any, your state’s workers’ compensation board should be able to help you. It is important before any WC form is filed with Fedex’s workers’ compensation insurer that all the information provided is accurate and is backed up with relevant documentation. This should include: a href="/faq/can-workers-comp-pay-medical-bills">receipts for medical treatment you have paid for; any unpaid invoices for medical treatment; your doctor’s medical report; eye witness’ written reports; photographs of the accident site and any injuries that took place at the time; photos from Fedex’s surveillance cameras showing the accident took place on their premises; a copy of the accident report given to your supervisor. As soon as you think you have all the necessary information backed up by relevant documentation you can go ahead and file your claim for workers’ compensation. You don’t want your claim denied because Fedex’s workers’ compensation insurer thinks your accident didn’t happen at work. 7. Speak With a Personal injury Attorney A successful Workers' Compensation claim will require a team effort. Make sure that you have an experienced personal injury attorney on your team. An attorney will be able to help gather all of the evidence that you need, work with the insurance company and advise on the settlement process. Help level the playing field by filling out your free evaluation here. *The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against FedEx, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
