Every job has a varying degree of risks and concerns involved with it. While we never imagine ourselves getting injured on our job, the unfortunate reality is that it happens to a large number of people around the world yearly. Getting injured at work can be extremely stressful, as you are no longer able to work and therefore losing out on potential income. (Image Credit: Anh Nguyễn Duy/Pixabay)
For this reason, it is extremely important that you know how to file workers comp and know how to get the money that you deserve. It is highly recommended that you hire an attorney to help during this time period to help create a case that you are guaranteed to win. Along with that, they can also help you with the steps required to continue the case that you have created. Here is how you can file a worker’s compensation case and get the wheels in motion.
Inform Your Employer and See a Doctor
The first step in starting a worker’s compensation case in informing your employer of what has happened. There are important deadlines that you have to adhere to when reporting your case and it differs based on the state you are in.
For example, if you are in North Carolina, you are required to report your case within thirty days, otherwise, you lose out on the opportunity. You can check out this useful guide, to see important deadlines and things you have to pay attention to. Remember as well, that the sooner you report the injury, the sooner it can get resolved. While they do give you thirty days to report, it can greatly slow down the process.
Once you have informed your employer, you can now begin to seek medical attention for your injuries. Do not skip out on going to the doctor, as failing to get medical attention can ruin your case. Along with this, your doctor will require evidence of the injury so they can verify that the injuries add up to the story you have told. The longer you take to get medical attention, the less you remember about the story. Inform your employer and see a doctor to get your worker’s compensation case started.
Tell Your Doctor It is A Work injury
Once you go into your doctor, make sure to tell them that the injured you have sustained occurred at work and during work hours. This will cause them to pull out an additional form that they will collect information on. They will ask questions regarding who your employer is and will record every detail of the story you tell them.
When informing your doctor, remember to keep the story factual and short. The more you speak on the topic, the more likely you are to contradict yourself and by law, everything that you say will be recorded and appear in the documentation and medical charts. Your employer could use this information to counter your case.
If done correctly, the documentation provided by your doctor can greatly help you win your case against your employer. Not only that, but your workplace will also be required to fully compensate you for any medical fees that you incurred. Healthcare can be extremely expensive, so make sure you document all your expenses. Always tell your doctor that the injury is work-related and begin proper paperwork with them.
Provide Formal Notice to Your Employer
When you are first injured, you are most likely just going to tell your employer that you have sustained an injury and are going to be receiving medical attention for it. Once you have gotten this medical attention, you have to provide your employer with formal notice of the injury along with proper documentation.
Determine if there are any forms at your workplace that you are required to fill out and also get in contact with the human resources department. Keep your own personal copies of any forms so you can make sure they are not altered by them in any way. Finally, if they require to see documentation from the doctor, give them the contact information. Make sure that you provide formal notice to your employer so they are aware that they will need to pay worker’s compensation.
After all of this has been done, look into hiring an attorney to help handle the case for you. Your focus should be on recovery, not fighting your employer. By starting your case early, you should be eligible to be compensated much sooner and receive all the support you need from the medical field. Stay positive and make sure to follow through with all your documents.