.jpg)
.jpg)
After a work injury, you typically have up to 45 days to report the incident, but the sooner you do so, the better. Once you’ve reported the injury, you’ll need help dealing with the various aspects of filing a claim, and that’s where hiring legal representation can be very beneficial.
In fact, hiring a work injury lawyer can ultimately be the difference between receiving the compensation you deserve and being found ineligible. When you’re hurt at work, don’t take any chances—contact a workers’ compensation attorney as soon as you can to get the process started.
Types of Common Workplace Injuries
Workplace injuries happen in the blink of an eye and can have lasting impact on your life. That’s why it’s important to act quickly if you get hurt at work. If you’re not sure if your injury will qualify for benefits, a good place to start researching is by learning about some of the most common workplace injuries and comparing them to your situation. Many injuries may at first seem like they wouldn’t be eligible for benefits, when in reality, they are.
Some of the most frequently occurring workplace injuries include:
- Overexertion: These are injuries that involve pulling, pushing, holding, lifting, throwing, or carrying, and are considered the most common workplace injury.
- Traffic incidents: Accidents that happen while using company vehicles.
- Struck against an object: Injuries involving doors, windows, walls, etc.
- Slips and falls: These injuries occur when someone slips on wet ior slippery floors, or falls on an uneven floor surface. Slips and falls on icy or uncleared sidewalks and walkways also fall under this category.
- Caught in/compressed by: Injuries that typically take place in factories or involve heavy machinery.
- Fall to a lower level: Falling off a ladder, down stairs, or off a roof.
- Struck by an object: Injuries caused by falling objects or objects dropped by someone else at the workspace.
- Workplace assaults: When more or more workers are assaulted in the workplace.
- Repetitive motion: Injuries that are caused by performing the same motion over and over. These commonly include back injuries and carpal tunnel syndrome.
What You Need to Know About Workers’ Compensation Cases
A workers’ compensation lawyer can help you sort through the entire process of filing a claim for your work injury, but for your own sake, you should learn about some of the different aspects of the claims process.
For instance, you should know what the statute of limitations is for your particular injury, as well as what paperwork you need to keep on hand for filing a claim and collecting benefits. You’ll also want to know about the different types of compensation you may be eligible for.
Types of compensation include permanent injury, lost wages, medical bill reimbursement, and more. If you aren’t sure of any of these things, a work injury attorney will be able to explain the ins and outs of the case so that you’re ready to go.
The Process of Filing a Claim
Filing a workers compensation claim can be complicated, but having legal representation make the process much simpler.
The first thing you need to do is report the incident to your employer. The injury should be reported within seven days of its occurrence, and when seeking medical treatment for it, be sure to make medical professionals aware that the injury is work-related, as there may be specific doctors or facilities that you need to see.
Next, the insurance carrier will open a benefits claim after receiving reports from the employer or the doctor. If the claim is found to be compensable, the insurance carrier contacts the injured party and the employer to work out an agreement of the rate of pay that the injured person will receive while they’re out of work.
However, if the claim is for some reason denied, the injured worker will be able to appeal the decision.
