If you have a work injury, the consequences can be devastating. And it is difficult to guess anything that might happen, how bad your injury will get in the long run, and if you’ll ever be able to work again. Decades from now, the damage could still be affecting you. Because of this, it’s absolutely crucial that you get the maximum amount of benefits. Doing so will help you protect you and your family’s future.
Insurance companies want to make money more than they want to take care of your future and finances. It’s essential to have a knowledgeable advocate on your side.
9 Tips for Getting Workman’s Comp Paid
1. File ASAP
The first way to maximize your claim is to make it. Once you acquire an injury, you should file your claim ASAP. Don’t get in much of a hurry, though. If you’re going to file, you need to make sure you provide all the necessary information, fill everything out completely and don’t make any mistakes.
You can start by filling out the First Report of Injury form. If your employer is encouraging you not to apply, don’t take their advice without consulting a professional.
2. Gather Witness Statements
It’s difficult for judges when they are only listening to hearsay from both sides of the story. So, if it’s possible, it’s essential to obtain witness statements from people who witnessed your accident.
Employers may try to say your injuries are your fault, because of your neglect, as opposed to unsafe conditions in the workplace. Therefore, witness statements are highly important in these situations.
3. Don’t Wait to Seek Medical Treatment.
Don’t wait for your claim’s finalization before you seek medical treatment. The claims process takes time, and putting off treatment could worsen your injuries. This is about taking care of you and your needs–and your health is the top priority.
If you wait to seek medical treatment, your employer could argue that your injuries must not have been serious if you didn’t obtain medical treatment right away. Make sure you tell your doctor that your injury is a work injury. This will allow your doctor to document this fact, and you can use this to your advantage later down the road.
It’ll also help you get payments sorted out. Your healthcare provider may be more flexible on the costs when they know you got hurt on the job and you’re waiting for your claim to process.
4. Follow Your Treatment Plan & Attend Your Appointments
Many of us often put off going to the doctor. It’s not our favorite way to spend Tuesday mornings. We usually like to tough it out with ibuprofen. But complications from your injuries can take years to come to the surface. Once they do, you could be in a lot of pain that you have trouble managing.
Medical records can help specialists determine how severe your injury is, how it will heal, and how long it’ll take to heal. The costs of treatment are among the most significant expenses you’ll have after an injury. When you have detailed records that show the treatment you need, it’ll help ensure you get compensated while getting the proper treatment.
5. Decline the Insurance Company’s Offer
Insurance companies want to make money. They’re worried about profit margins and shareholders. So, the company’s initial Workers Compensation settlement amount will be lower than the amount you are entitled to have.
Your best option is to obtain an attorney. Consultations are often free; You can get your questions answered without obligation. You might even find out you don’t need a lawyer at all.
6. Make Sure You’re Getting Maximum Compensation
The short answer is that you can’t. Without an attorney or expertise in workman’s compensation, your insurance provider is the only one who will know about your claim. And insurance companies don’t have your best interests in mind. They look for ways to delay, shave, exclude or discontinue your benefits.
It’s sad but true. Hanging onto your money is how they make money. So, they are going to try to do so as long as possible. Good claim adjusters will try to reassure injured employees and have you rely on them as the point of contact for information regarding the claim. Doing this allows them to keep control of the claim and minimize the cost to the carrier.
An experienced attorney can make sure your adjusters do right by you. Some of them do care more than others, and they show it. Those few pay benefits on time and make sure you have the maximum amount. Most of them don’t usually lie to you either. But they may not tell you the entire truth either. Having an attorney ensures that all of them do right by you.
7. What To Do If You Think Your Check is Wrong
Since adjusters don’t always give you the amount owed, your check consequently is sometimes wrong. The basis of your check comes from your average weekly wage. The process that your weekly wage is determined is governed by statute and based on the current facts. So, without outside counsel, your adjuster is determining the amount of your weekly salary.
For any worker’s compensation claim, attorneys on opposite sides will disagree on any claimant’s average weekly wage. They will have different interpretations of the calculations. Any adjuster is to move your amount lower, so there could be a lot of possible interpretations.
8. Don’t Lose Hope
If your claim gets denied, you don’t need to give up just yet. Many people succeed when they appeal the decision. There could have been a mistake or oversight when you initially processed your claim. Your attorney can help you determine why you got denied and whether or not you should appeal.
9. Benefits to Getting an Attorney
Besides making sure your wages are correct, there are many other benefits to acquiring an attorney for your worker’s compensation claims.
For instance, they can manage your medical benefits by looking at any denials you have of work-related treatment. They can also look at the payments on your prescriptions and the mileage you accumulate for traveling to your appointments.
An attorney can examine your rehabilitation benefits as well. Attorneys can assist with medical and vocational management, any job placement needs for returning to work, and any retraining you may need.
Attorneys can also look at your supplementary benefits and any future benefits you may need–such as ongoing wage loss and medical settlements.
Talk to Sundquist Law Firm
It’s important to remember that millions of people every year face this same struggle and you’re not in this alone.
With a survey estimating Minnesota having close to 73,000 OSHA-recorded non-fatal workplace injury or illnesses in 2019, it is important to know who is looking out for the working American.
Sundquist Law can help. We’re happy to help you fill out forms, prepare your evidence, and make your claim. If you have been injured on the job and need assistance getting your worker’s comp benefits, then contact Sundquist Law in Saint Paul, Minnesota — The Union Members Law Firm.