Workers Comp: Taking Pro-Active Measures
When you are injured on the job, you need to start thinking about how to obtain workers compensation.
Even if you are injured while working, you may not be eligible for workers comp. However, if you do certain things in advance of filing your claim, it is more likely to be accepted. Of course, workers compensation laws vary by state, so contact a personal injury lawyer to learn more about your state’s laws.
You must first tell your employer about the injury. File a report with the appropriate persons, and be sure to list any people who witnessed the accident. Even if you think that the injury is not severe enough to warrant medical attention, you must still visit a doctor. You will need the doctor’s report to file the claim, so the sooner you visit a doctor, the sooner you can get your workers compensation.
Check the time limits that are in place in your state. You must file the appropriate paperwork within that time period in order to be considered for benefits. Should you be contacted by anyone regarding your claim, respond quickly and answer any questions that are asked. If the doctor states that you need certain treatments, you must follow through with the doctor’s orders. Failure to do so could comprise your workers compensation claim.
If you have additional questions about a workers’ comp claim, contact our firm and speak with a Raleigh workers’ compensation lawyer.
What to Do When an Employer Fails or Refuses to Report an Injury
If you have recently been injured at your place of employment, you may be concerned as to your rights and whether you should inform your employer. It is important that you know exactly what to do after being injured; failing to take proper legal action in addition to seeking medical treatment can result in financial devastation. First and foremost, you should seek medical treatment and inform your employer of your injuries. If your employer refuses, fails, or even forgets to report the injury, it is important for you to take the case into your own hands.
In some cases, an employer may state that they do not believe that your injuries were sustained at work. Other instances of failing to report an injury stem from an employer attempting to save money. Lastly, your employer may have unlawfully failed to obtain workers’ compensation insurance, and refuses to report the claim. While there are many excuses an employer can give as to why they have refused or failed to report your injury to the insurance provider, it is unacceptable and costly to you. At the Whitley Law Firm, an experienced Raleigh injury lawyer can provide you with several tips on what to do if this happens to you.
After being injured, you should have seen a medical doctor and had all of your injuries examined. Even if your injury seems minor, you must visit the doctor to obtain a full evaluation; some injuries do not surface for days or even until it is too late. Next, you can try to talk to your employer about the incident – it is possible that they may have just forgotten to file the claim on your behalf.
If they refuse the claim or state that it is not covered in their insurance, it is up to you to obtain Form 18 or Form 18B from the North Carolina Industrial Commission and return it filled out entirely within two years of the incident. Workers’ compensation insurance benefits should cover virtually all accidents that take place at work, regardless of fault. If you believe that your employer is unlawfully denying you insurance coverage for an injury at work, contact a Raleigh workers’ comp lawyer from our office today.
Do You Know What You Need to When Filing a Workers’ Comp Claim?
It is a sad fact that many faithful employees are wrongfully harmed while on the job. What is even sadder is the fact that many employees don’t know the rights they are entitled to after an injury accident of this nature has occurred. Workers’ compensation is a form of insurance that provides medical benefits and wage replacements to individuals that were wrongfully harmed while on the job.
Essentially, workers’ comp allows for a trade-off between employee and employer, giving each something in return for what the other needs. For injured employees, their place of employment provides wage replacements and medical benefits during the time they will be out of work and would normally be ineligible to receive such. For employers, a guarantee is essentially made between boss and employee which provides for assurance that no legal suit will be brought against the employer for the workplace injury.
Unfortunately, all too often the process of filing a workers’ compensation claim is less than easy. If you were injured on the job and you believe that you are entitled to the benefits of workers’ compensation then you should not hesitate to contact a Raleigh personal injury attorney from the Whitley Law Firm. With the help of an associate at our firm, you can rest assured knowing that you claim is in the hands of a trusted professional that has handled similar legal issues to yours since the firm’s inception many years ago. We are here to make sure that the harms you incurred while onsite your workplace are not further exacerbated in any way.
One of the best methods of assurance in these types of cases is taking legal action to ensure that you are dutifully compensated for your injury or illness, and filing a workers’ compensation claim is one of the best ways to do this. To learn more about how we can help you, contact a Raleigh workers’ compensation lawyer from our firm at your earliest convenience.