A workplace injury can be incredibly disruptive to your health and to your life. If you’ve been hurt at work, there are many steps to take in order to file a workers’ compensation claim to receive the benefits you deserve. When taking these steps, it’s important to know the mistakes to avoid making that could lead to the dismissal of your claim. In this guide, we will cover the major don’ts after being injured at work.
1. Delaying Your Doctor’s Visit or Ignoring Medical Advice
Having a doctor review your work injury is vital to your health. After you have been injured, the first thing you should do is receive medical care, nothing is more important than your health! You may be limited to seeing a doctor within your employer’s network of providers; however, you should feel fully confident and comfortable with them. If you feel you are not getting the care you need and deserve, you have the right to a second opinion. If you do feel confident in the care that you have received, it is incredibly important that you follow all the medical advice you have been given. Failure to do so could result in your claim being denied.
2. Ignore Your Injury/Not Reporting Right Away
It is always important to report your injury, no matter what. We understand it can be a difficult process and dealing with insurance and paperwork may seem less than ideal, but your injury could worsen and make your life and job harder. On that same note, even if you feel your injury is not significant enough to warrant filing a report, file one anyway. Your symptoms and pain could worsen, and you have a certain amount of time in which you must file your claim after being injured.
3. Hesitating to Contact a Lawyer
Regardless of the extent of your injury, having a lawyer on your side to help you navigate the ins and outs of your claim can be extremely beneficial, and could help change the outcome of your claim. Being injured and then having to spend time going back and forth with your employer, insurance, your doctor and more, can be overwhelming. It’s important to have an experienced attorney who understands the complexity of the system you are now working in. They will help guide you through the process of protecting your rights.
4. Filing a Report with Missing or Inaccurate Information
After your injury, you absolutely must file an injury report. This report should contain accurate and truthful information. It can be hard to remember all the details, but it’s imperative that you don’t make any assumptions and only report on information that you know to be true. Making an assumption, such as the extent of your injury before you have received a diagnosis from a doctor, could lead to your workers’ comp claim being denied. Misrepresenting your injury, or the course of action that led to you being injured, is also grounds for your case to be denied. Always ensure that you are being truthful and representing the facts correctly. Remember, New York is a no-fault state!
5. Don’t rush back to work
That guilty feeling pushing you to go back to work after being injured can be a nag! Be sure to listen to your doctors’ recommendations, and if they say rest, rest! The worst thing you can do for yourself is to go back to work before you are ready. This may cause you to lose out on your benefits early, or further injure yourself or delay your healing.
Schedule Your Free Consultation Today
Dealing with a workplace injury while having to navigate the complex compensation claims system can be incredibly difficult and overwhelming. Schedule a free consultation with us today! Our expert team will walk you through the process and help you avoid mistakes that may cost you your benefits.
