Common mistakes when seeking coverage from workers’ compensation

On Behalf of | Aug 17, 2017 | Workers' Compensation |

There is no job that is completely safe from some kind of workplace injury or illness. Construction jobs, oil fields and manufacturing all have certain risks, but even if you sit at a computer or stand in front of a classroom all day, you are never completely free from the chances of an accident or workplace illness.

Tripping and falling, inhaling toxic fumes or developing repetitive motion injuries can happen in any environment, and if you have experienced an accident on the job that led to painful injuries, you have the right to seek benefits through workers’ compensation. This special insurance is available to cover the medical bills and lost wages of employees injured in the normal course of their work duties. However, like any insurance claim, there are circumstances that may cause the insurance company to deny your claim.

When will workers’ compensation reject my claim?

If you are injured on the job, it is important that you notify your employer immediately. Your employer will have paperwork to complete to verify that the injury occurred while you were at work. If you wait until you get back to work the next day or even over the weekend, you may find it much harder to prove your injury happened at work. This may result in a denial of your claim. Other factors that may result in the rejection of a workers’ compensation claim include:

  • Receiving treatment from your own doctor instead of a physician in your employer’s network
  • Claiming an injury that happened in the workplace but was not related to your duties on the job
  • Seeking compensation for an injury or medical condition that you already had

If you don’t give your doctor all the pertinent information about your injuries following a workplace accident, some injuries may not receive coverage. For example, if you slip at work, twist your ankle and fall, workers’ compensation will likely cover the injury to your ankle. However, if you neglect to tell your doctor that you also broke your arm in the fall, you may miss the opportunity to receive compensation for that injury.

Seeking the rightful assistance of workers’ compensation benefits is not always easy, especially if you are also trying to recover from an accident or illness. There are often time limits for filing claims and complicated hoops to jump through. Because many Illinois workers are unfamiliar with the requirements for claiming workers’ compensation benefits, they rely on the assistance of an experienced attorney to guide them through the process.

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