If you are injured on the job, the first thing you need to do is seek medical care for all of your injuries.
Also, it’s extremely important to immediately learn more about obtaining workers’ compensation benefits. While your health comes first, you don’t want to put this off for too long.
You may be expecting to receive workers’ compensation benefits, but many claims are denied every year. Here are some of the reasons for this.
1. The injury was not reported in time.
In short, you only have so much time to report your injury to your company. This is why you don’t want to wait too long to tell your supervisor or HR department what happened. Typically, if possible, you’ll want to do this the same day the injury occurred. This removes all the gray area from the process.
2. The claim was not filed in time.
Most states require that you file your workers’ compensation claim within one to three months of your injury. Know the statute of limitations in Pennsylvania, which allows up to three years.
3. Your employer disputes the claim.
For example, your employer may believe that your injury occurred outside of work, thus giving it reason to dispute your claim.
4. You did not receive medical treatment.
To receive workers’ compensation benefits, you need to get medical treatment following the accident. Not only does this prove that you were injured, but it helps to ensure that you have a treatment plan in place for making a recovery.
Even if your workers’ compensation claim is denied, it doesn’t mean you’ll never receive benefits.
At this point, it’s time to file an appeal in the hope of having the decision reversed.
Just the same as filing your initial claim, you don’t want to delay in making an appeal. If you do, you could miss your window for having the decision overturned.
Nobody wants to be injured on the job, but if it happens, you can take steps to aid in your recovery. One of the best things you can do is file a workers’ compensation claim, as this helps keep you financially afloat for the time being.
Overall, your health always comes first. However, when you’re injured on the job, you need to report all injuries quickly and then take the steps necessary to receive the benefits you deserve.