According to the Bureau of Labor, there are 3 workers who file a workers’ comp claim for every 100 full-time employees at a company. If you’re part of those 3 workers who were injured on the job, you might be wondering how to maximize your workers’ comp settlement.
Thankfully, there are a few things you can do to get more workers’ compensation. Keep reading to find out how!
- Get Medical Care Right Away
After you’re injured, make sure that you go to the hospital as soon as possible. Your supervisor might offer to call an ambulance for you, and some people say no because they don’t think they’re badly injured. Here pittsburgh workers compensation lawyer.
However, you should let them. If they can’t call an ambulance for you, make sure that you ask them if someone can give you a ride to the doctor. This way you’ll have documentation that you went right away.
Some people think that they’ll wait a day or two before going to see how badly they are injured. But if you’re injured at work, you should go right away.
This way the insurance company will interpret that as serious injuries. If you wait, they may use that time against you, saying that your injuries weren’t as bad.
- Keep Records
While the doctors will keep records, make sure that you keep your own set of records. You can even obtain them from the doctor.
In addition to medical records, make sure that you have documentation of why you can’t work with your former employer either. Make sure that you spend time looking for other jobs and have documentation of that as well.
If you can show a judge that you’ve been trying to find other jobs, they may rule more in your favor because you’ve been making an effort.
- Be Detailed
Your doctor, lawyer, and the insurance company will likely ask, so make sure that you tell them the entire story. And make sure that your story matches as well.
Be as specific as possible. For example, if you hurt yourself lifting a box, make sure that you tell them what shape the box was and how much it weighed. Describe any equipment you tried to use.
You should also describe your injuries in detail and when you first started noticing pain. How long did it last? Is it still ongoing?
Don’t try and act strong and pretend that it doesn’t hurt. If you minimize your pain, you won’t get good care from the doctor, and the insurance company will say that you’re not that injured and don’t need much money.
- Let Your Employer Know
When the injury first happens, make sure you tell your employer immediately. You have to report it within 30 days of it occurring or otherwise, you won’t be able to get any compensation.
Even though you have 30 days to report it, you should still report it whenever you are discharged from the hospital. This way you’ll have more credibility and the insurance companies won’t suspect that you are faking it.
When you do report your injury, make sure that you do it in writing. A lot of employers require it to be on a form, but if they don’t have one, make sure you have it in a time-stamped email so you can prove that you reached out.
- Always Talk to a Workers’ Comp Attorney
Filing a workers comp claim on your own can be really confusing, so it’s best to get an attorney involved and let them handle it. Lawyers are skilled at dealing with insurance companies and employees and will make sure they’re watching out for you.
If you don’t know any better, the insurance company and employer might have you try and sign documentation that actually hurts you.
If you sign anything without knowing what it’s about, you might be denied any compensation. Instead, always talk to your lawyer about everything and make sure you follow their advice.
- Read About Disability Ratings
Normally, you’ll fall into one of four categories.
Temporary total disability will only keep you working for a certain period of time. If you have temporary partial disabilities, this could prevent you from working on some of your job duties for a certain period of time.
On the other hand, if you have a permanent total disability, you could be prevented from working anywhere ever again. Permanent partial disabilities prevent you from working certain types of jobs for the rest of your life.
If you have a permanent disability, your doctor will assign you a percentage, ranging from 5% to 100%. This percentage will determine how much compensation you’re entitled to.
If your lawyer doesn’t think that the insurance company’s compensation is enough, they’ll raise the rating as well.
- Limit the Medical Authorization
After your injury, the insurance company will ask you to provide medical record authorization. This will include things like:
- Appointments with doctors
- Physical therapists
- Other appointments
You can send this to them. However, make sure you only send them the medical care documentation that is related to your injury. Don’t send them anything that is outside of their scope, because they could use this against you.
Discover More on How to Maximize Your Workers’ Comp Settlement
These are only a few ways to maximize your workers’ comp settlement, but there are many more things you can try!
We know that dealing with injuries at work can be stressful and overwhelming, but we’re here to help you out!
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