An injury often results in missed work days and medical expenses. If the injury occurs at work, there may be workers’ compensation insurance to cover these costs.
An injured worker must take certain steps after the accident occurs. If this does not happen, there is the possibility that the insurance company will deny the claim.
Steps to take after an injury
According to Home Business Magazine, the first step after an accident occurs is to inform a manager or supervisor, who will fill out an accident report with the details of what happened. This should occur as soon as possible. The next step is to seek medical attention, because if no treatment is necessary, there is no reason for a workers’ comp claim.
There is a time deadline for when an injured worker must file a claim. This varies by state, but it is usually in between 30 and 90 days after the injury occurred. It also helps one’s claim to keep a journal of symptoms and all expenses related to the injury.
What to do if there is a denial
After filing the workers’ compensation claim, the worker will get a letter in the mail that either approves or denies the claim. If it is a denial, the employee may want to appeal the decision. FindLaw discusses what steps to take for the appeal process.
As with filing the initial claim, there is a deadline for filing an appeal. The denial letter will also state the reason for the denial. This helps the employee determine what evidence to gather, such as medical records, proof that the injury prevents the ability to work or witness testimonies. The worker presents this evidence in front of a judge during an appeal hearing. The judge then makes a ruling of reversing the denial or keeping the decision as is.
