Most employers are required by state law to provide workers’ compensation insurance for their employees. The insurance is designed to compensate one of the employer’s workers if they are injured or become sick while at work. Compensation is for medical costs and part of the earnings that might be forfeited if absence from work is necessary. Claims are never straightforward and sometimes they are denied by the state agency dealing with them. That’s when a workers’ comp. attorney becomes useful as an appeal against the decision may be able to overturn the denial. The Hartford Group – Company Profile You may find that your employer has taken out cover with a subsidiary of the Hartford Group. Hartford Financial Services Group Inc., to give it its correct full name, is one of America’s oldest and best known financial services corporations, being founded in 1810. The history of the Hartford is best known for its financial rescue of New York’s CBD after a devastating fire in 1835, as well as the San Francisco earthquake and subsequent fire in 1906. The company has its headquarters in Hartford, Connecticut. Its insurance business, only a part of its financial holdings, works through a network of insurance brokers and agents. Tips to Help Decide on a Course of Action after a WC Claim Has Been Denied Tip 1. Read your denial letter carefully. It will include the reason for denial. There may be a legitimate reason why your claim was denied and you may not be able to appeal the decision e.g. if you did not inform your employer in time about your injury or your claim was submitted late. On the other hand, you may have done everything within the right time frame and there is still a good chance that an appeal will be successful. Tip 2. There may be a simple administrative reason why your claim was denied. If you work for a large employer, either someone at work, or in your employer’s insurance company head office, has made a simple mistake that can be identified and corrected. Many denials are due to simple mistakes like this. Check out this possibility with both your employer and the Hartford Group insurance adjuster before proceeding with an appeal. Tip 3. Even if you didn’t contact an attorney before making your original claim, it is advisable to do so now. The attorney will advise you about the chances of success if you make a claim and point out why your claim was denied if it was due to lack of paperwork. If your claim failed because of timing, it is still possible that you can make an appeal if you can show proof that this was impossible at the time (you may have been incapacitated in a hospital, or in a coma, for example). Tip 4. Submit the paperwork for an appeal with either the state labor board or the workers’ compensation board as promptly as you can. Again, time limits determine when you should make an appeal. Tip 5. With the help of your attorney determine what paperwork was missing from the first claim or what documentation will help you case. Most denials, if not due to timing or simple administrative errors, are due to the fact that your employer has challenged the fact that you were injured or became sick while genuinely at work or you do not have sufficient paperwork to show that you had medical treatment relevant to the injury or illness, or that it showed the true cost of the treatment you received. Tip 6. Attend the administrative hearing and be prepared to present any documentation you had the first time as well as any documentation that wasn’t originally available yet you think will help your case. A WC Attorney Can Assist You Appeal a Denied Claim Your employer is unlikely to make a workers’ compensation claim easy as it can affect its future premiums. Insurers, even well established ones like the Hartford Group, are not in the business of providing charity. Any kind of loophole that gets them out of paying compensation will be used. An attorney understands the way these entities work and will be of great help if you believe your claim is justified and are considering an appeal. *The content of this article serves only to provide information and should not be construed as legal advice. If you file a claim against The Hartford Group or any other company, you may not be entitled to any compensation.
