.jpg)
.jpg)
Hiring legal representation can be the difference in what you qualify for, so if you’ve been hurt in a workplace injury, consult with a workers’ compensation attorney as soon as you can.
Types of Workers’ Compensation Injuries
When you’re hurt at work, it can be confusing to know whether your injury will be compensable or not. These injuries often happen quickly and their effects can be long-lasting, which is why it’s beneficial to start the claims process as early as possible.
One way to help determine whether your case will qualify for workers’ compensation is to compare your situation with some of the most commonly occurring workplace injuries. This way, you’ll have some idea of whether your injury will be eligible for compensation.
Some of the most common workers’ compensation injuries include:
- Workplace assaults: When one or more workers has been assaulted while in the workplace.
- Traffic incidents: Injuries from crashes and other accidents that happen while using company vehicles.
- Slip and fall: Injuries caused by slipping on wet or slippery floors, falling on uneven floor surfaces, or falling on snowy or icy walkways during winter.
- Caught in/compressed by: Injuries that involve heavy machinery, typically, which often occur in factories.
- Overexertion: Often thought to be the most common workplace injury, overexertion includes injuries related to pushing, pulling, carrying, lifting, throwing, or holding.
- Repetitive motion: Injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome or back injuries from pulled muscles or overworked tendons. These are caused by performing the same motion over and over.
- Struck against an object: Injuries sustained by hitting an object such as a door, wall, or window.
- Struck by an object: Injuries caused by falling objects or objects dropped by another worker or patron.
- Fall to a lower level: Falling off a roof or ladder, down stairs, etc.
What to Know About Workers’ Compensation Cases
When you’re filing a workers’ compensation claim, a work injury lawyer will be able to explain everything to you. Still, you should make sure you’re aware of a few different aspects of the case, such as the statute of limitations for being eligible for compensation, what paperwork you need to hold onto (medical bills and incident reports, for instance), and what type of compensation you’d like to seek (permanent injury, lost wages, medical bill reimbursement, etc.).
Thankfully, a workers’ compensation attorney can help guide you through the process and make sure you understand everything.
The Process of Filing a Claim
The first step in the claims process is letting your employer know about the injury or incident. Filing a claim can be complicated, so it’s ideal to have a work injury attorney help you.
Typically, injuries must be reported within seven days of occurrence. If you need to seek medical care, be sure to inform physicians that you have a work-related injury, since your employer may require you to visit certain facilities or doctors.
Next, employers or doctors will submit information to the insurance company, who will open a claim. If they deem the claim compensable, they’ll contact the injured party and the employer to determine the rate of pay that the person will receive while they’re out of work. If the claim is, for whatever reason, denied, the injured person will be able to appeal that decision.
