Everyone has heard a story from someone they know about getting hurt at work. Often the story involves a painful injury, emergency medical care, time missed from work, and a long rehabilitative process that took a toll. Maybe this is your story. If you have been injured while at work, you should be thinking about filing a workers’ compensation claim to get the money you need to make your recovery easier. Here are a few things that you need to know:
- Do not delay medical care. If you get hurt, make sure that you seek the medical care that you need right away. Do not delay necessary medical treatment just because you are unsure whether it will be covered by a workers’ compensation claim. Take care of yourself first to make sure that you prevent your injury from getting worse and that you set yourself up for the best recovery possible.
- Report your injury as soon as you are able. After you get any medical care immediately necessary to treat your injuries, your next step should be to notify your employer of the incident. Report your injury to your human resources department, describe the circumstances of the incident and be ready to fill out a form with a written statement about what happened. Depending on the state or federal law that applies to you, you may be required to report your injury within a few days of it happening if you are medically able, so do not delay this step.
- Gather evidence of your claim. As you prepare to go through the workers’ compensation claim process, make sure that you are gathering and preserving your medical bills and records, pharmacy receipts and records, and any record other treatment that you are receiving to recovery from the injury you incurred at work. Also keep a record of the time that you miss from work and communication you have with your employer about your injury.
- Consider hiring an attorney to help you pursue your claim. An attorney is not necessary to file a workers’ compensation claim and receive benefits under your employer’s workers’ compensation policy. However, a experienced workers’ compensation attorney can make sure that you are getting all of the benefits to which you are entitled. In the event that your workers’ compensation claim is denied or that you do not get the compensation you believe you deserve, a workers’ compensation attorney will be able to argue your case in front of the appropriate workers’ compensation board or court designated to resolve workers’ compensation disputes. Although you could do this work alone, having the help of a qualified and experienced attorney can take a huge burden from your shoulders and also ensure that you are getting the most from your claim.
Getting hurt while working is a scary event and one that many people will experience during their career. Take time to understand the workers’ compensation law that applies to your job and consider reaching out to a competent workers’ compensation lawyer New York trusts to ask specific questions about your case.
Thank you to our friends and contributors at Polsky, Shouldice & Rosen, P.C. for their knowledge about workers compensation claims.