Suffering from an injury while working can be disastrous. Many employees fear that their injuries may make them ineligible to continue working, which could greatly hurt their lives. Injured workers should be aware that their injuries may make them eligible for workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ comp could give employees lost wage compensation and health benefits, such as physical therapy and medical treatment.
Injured workers should be aware that their benefits can be denied. This could create a major issue if it isn’t resolved quickly. There are a few reasons injured employees may have their workers’ comp denied:
1. They failed to make a report to the employer
Employees suffering from work-related injuries should reach out to their employers immediately to start the workers’ comp process. Their employer is responsible for filing paperwork allowing employees to receive their workers’ comp benefits. If an employee waits too long to report their injuries, the employer may suspect that the injuries didn’t happen while the employee was working.
2. They didn’t seek out the right medical provider
Furthermore, injured workers should have a medical report of their injuries. The doctor or medical professional treating an employee’s work-related injuries may be selected by the company or their insurer. An employee who seeks out a doctor who isn’t certified to handle workplace injuries may be responsible for handling all the treatment expenses.
3. They weren’t injured on the job
As mentioned above, workers’ compensation can be denied if the injuries were not work-related. For example, a forklift accident during work hours could make an employee eligible for benefits. But, tripping and falling at home during off hours would not.
Filing for workers’ comp can be difficult without the legal right help. Injured workers should be aware of what they need to do if their workers’ compensation benefits are denied and how legal assistance can be useful.