After suffering an injury in the workplace, it’s likely that you are struggling to make ends meet. Medical bills pile up and you’re left wondering if you’ll ever be able to get back to work. In these situations, applying for workers’ comp is your best solution to get the support you need until such a time that you can return to a normal work schedule. Unfortunately, many people are intimidated by the process of applying for workers’ comp and are unsure of where to start. Keep reading to learn how to apply for workers’ comp in Oklahoma City after you’ve been injured on the job.
Immediately Report Your Injury to Your Supervisor
Getting access to your deserved workers’ comp benefits is contingent on reporting your injury to your employer in a timely manner. Generally speaking, you have a thirty-day window to report your injury and to start the process. However, if your injury is caused by a repetitious or constant work conditions, then the reporting window extends to ninety days. Even though you have the entire period to report your injury or receive medical attention, you should try to report your injuring as close to it occurring as possible, as this will speak to the seriousness of your condition.
Contact Your Insurance Company for Treatment
One of the biggest questions that people have when it comes to applying for workers’ comp has to do with medical treatment. Immediately following your workplace injury, your employer must select a physician to treat your injury. If you’re covered by a certified workplace medical plan, your employer may select any doctor in the medical plan’s network. However, if you’re employer takes more than seven days after your injury has been reported before finding you a treating physician, then you have the right to seek treatment from a physician of your choosing and have your employer cover the expenses.
File a Claim in Court if Your Employer Denies Benefits
Unfortunately, some employers do not pay for legally required workers’ comp coverage, leaving their employees in a precarious situation after a workplace injury. In these circumstances, you are eligible to file a claim in the Workers’ Compensation Court of Existing Claim. Bringing your grievance before the court, especially if you’ve retained a workers’ comp attorney, gives you the opportunity to fight for your benefits that have been unjustly denied. However, getting a settlement relies on proving that your injury was directly caused by unsafe work conditions and that your employer either unfairly denied your claims or did not secure coverage.
Hire an Attorney to Fight for Your Workers’ Comp
Being hurt on the job is often a tremendous life altering experience, leaving you struggling to recover without the financial support from your job. For these stressful situations, workers’ comp can be your only solution to stabilizing your life until your injury clears up enough to return to your career. However, even if you do everything right, sometimes your workers’ comp benefits will be denied and, if this happens, then you need legal representation. To find a lawyer in Oklahoma City to fight for your workers’ comp benefits, your best choice is to partner with the injury attorneys at Parrish DeVaugn Law Firm. Our attorneys have experience in a number of personal injury areas, including workers’ comp cases. Contact us today to schedule a consultation and start the process of filing your claim.
