Were you injured during your work? If so, you may be eligible to file a workers' compensation claim to be compensated for the loss of finances due to medical costs and even loss of wages. Unfortunately, this is a process that many workers are afraid to take, simply because they have never done it before. To those who have never experienced filing a claim, the process looks too complicated to be worth the time. Even if one were to try and file the workers' compensation, mistakes can also occur along the way, resulting in less money received or even outright denial of the claim.
In this article, we will focus on some mistakes that could result in less-than-optimal results. Being aware of these common blunders and avoiding them will ensure that your claim is in the best possible position to be granted.
1. Not getting treated
If you do not seek medical help after the injury you incurred during work or fail to follow the doctor's advice to recover, your chances of success with your claim will dwindle. Remember—the benefits offered by the claim are meant to help workers pay for their medical bills and pay for lost income. If you do not get help for your injuries, the officials might believe that you are not injured seriously, let alone injured at all.
2. Not reporting the injury
If you do not report your injury, your employers will not know if you are actually injured from work. Plus, failing to report it will make the situation sound trivial, hurting your chances of recovering the compensation that you deserve. You will also increase the chances of having the claim completely denied if you do not report. This is because, under the law, you need to tell your employer of the incident and file a claim within ten and sixty days, respectively. Going past this time limit, you will lose your right to claim. Do note, however, that under specific circumstances and good reason, you may be able to file the claim later, but we highly recommend doing it as soon as you can.
3. Not keeping accurate records
During your treatment and other activities after the injury, you must keep an accurate record of what happened. For example, you should note down what treatments you had to go through to recover, how much the medical bill costs, how much time you missed from work, and other relevant information. These records will help you file the claim much more accurately, allowing you to maximize the compensation that you will receive.
Conclusion
Try your best to avoid any of the common mistakes people make up above, and you will increase your chances of success with your workers' compensation claim. That being said, there is one more mistake that many people make that can seriously hurt their ability to be compensated fairly, and that is failing to seek help! The process can be quite a complicated one, and having a professional attorney by your side to assist will give you the best chances of crafting the best claim to increase your chances of not only being able to claim, but claim the compensations that you deserve.
Need help filing for your workers' compensation? We are Pacific Workers, The Lawyers for Injured, and we provide professional help to those seeking to be compensated for work-related injuries. Contact us today at 800-606-6999 for your free consultation and work with our workers comp lawyers in CA!
