5 Steps in a Workers’ Compensation Claim

Having a Workers’ Compensation claim can be a very frustrating experience, but follow these simple steps and you should have great success.

Workers’ Compensation steps

Step No.1 –Report your injury

Report your injury to your employer immediately. You might not feel comfortable doing this, but it’s a must if you wish to get compensated for your injury. The employer is bound by law to report all work injuries to the insurance carrier. Failing to report the injury timely could affect the future of your claim. Workers’ Compensation is a difficult system to navigate and you must make sure you do everything by the book and timely.

Step No.2 –Tell your medical provider

Your employer will send you to the medical group that is covered under the Workers’ Compensation insurance policy. You need to make sure that you indicate that it is a work-related injury when you see the doctor or your claim might get denied by the insurance carrier. Once if the initial things the insurance does is collect the initial medical report so they can determine compensability. If the work related injury isn’t clear in the medical records, your Workers’ Compensation case might get denied.

Step No.3 –Follow your treatment plan

Follow the treatment plan outlined by the Workers’ Compensation medical provider. Getting well and back to work in a timely fashion will save you a lot of frustration with your claim in the long run. If you are worried about whether or not you’ll be able to return to your job, discuss it with your employer.

Step No.4 – Be cautious about taking advice from the insurance company or employer.

At the end of the day, the employer doesn’t want their insurance premiums to go up, so they want to try to prevent claims from happening. But since that can’t always happen, some of the more unsavory employers might push for a denial of the claim. The job of your employer is to maintain a low overhead cost and prevent the Workers’ Compensation insurance premiums from going up. Your employer ultimately loses money when you are decommissioned from work. They either lose productivity or they have to train someone else to do the job. And time is money.

Step No.5 – Get advice from a good workers’ compensation attorney.

A good Workers’ Compensation attorney will always work to get you the best possible result for your claim. Some attorneys work on contingency, which means that you pay only if your attorney wins your case.  If they do win, they will take a percentage of your settlement, but you will ultimately receive more with the help of an expert Workers’ Compensation attorney.

Are you in Atlanta and are in need of a good Workers’ Compensation attorney that has your needs at heart? Contact Bobe and Snell Law office today.