Many employees sustain injuries on the job, spending a significant amount of money on treatment. They also miss several days, weeks, or months of work as they seek treatment, making it hard to provide for their families. The workers' compensation claim seeks to help such workers get compensation for their injuries. However, getting these payments is sometimes a complex process, and you may have to fight really hard to get compensation. The process can even be more challenging if you make the following mistakes because you can end up getting less or no payment.

Failing to Get Immediate Medical Care

Failing to get medical care immediately after an accident at work is a setback toward getting your rightful compensation. This is because it indicates that you never sustained any injuries or that your condition was not that serious. And this can make the insurance company take advantage to deny you compensation, claiming that you didn't sustain your injuries at work. That shows the importance of seeking treatment immediately after sustaining injuries at work. Continuing with follow-up appointments is also important if you want to file a strong case. It will show that you had sustained severe injuries that needed long-term care, enabling you to get a better settlement.

Failing to Document the Accident Details

If you file your claim several weeks or months after your accident, there is a high possibility that you will have forgotten some of the details. Therefore, you may want to document all the accident details when you can remember them. Start by noting down what you were doing before, during, and after the accident. Then, write down the names and contact information of anyone who witnessed the incident. You may also note down the witnesses' reactions and what they said after seeing your injuries. The information will be very helpful when proving that you sustained your injuries on the job.

Failing to Get Professional Legal Representation

Failing to get professional legal representation is setting yourself up for failure, especially if you don't know what to do or avoid during the process. An experienced lawyer who deals with workers' compensation claims will guide you on the measures to take. They will advise you to report the accident to your employer as the law requires. Your legal advisor will then instruct you on the evidence to collect before your colleagues tamper with the accident scene. Finally, they will guide and represent you through the legal process to ensure that you get justice.

The three mistakes above can make you get a lower settlement or lose out on getting your rightful payment. The best way to avoid making them is by consulting a professional workers' compensation lawyer immediately after the accident. They will guide you to ensure that you don't do anything that might hurt your claim.

Contact a lawyer in your area, such as David Helfand PA, to learn more. 

Share