Almost every worker dreads the possibility of suffering an on the job injury. When you’re hurt on the job, it’s likely that you won’t be able to return to work until your injury heals, making it difficult to pay your medical bills and support your family. For many people who have been hurt at work, the best solution is filing for workers’ compensation. However, if you’ve never filed for workers’ comp benefits before, the process can seem daunting.
Learn what you can do after you’ve been hurt on the job, and discover the benefits of hiring a workers’ compensation attorney for help.
Take Immediate Action
If you’re like most people, you’re probably unaware that filing for workers’ compensation benefits is a time sensitive manner. Acting immediately and decisively is crucial if you want to protect your rights and receive your benefits. In some states, you may have as little as thirty days to notify your employer about your injury and to file for your benefits. When this window expires, it will be nearly impossible to receive the workers’ comp that you need.
You need to be certain that you notify your employer as soon as you can after your accident has occurred. This will protect your rights and make it more likely you’ll receive your benefits.
Guaranteed Rights
The most important thing that you can do after a workplace injury is to consult a workers’ compensation attorney about the workers’ comp rules in your state.
However, regardless of your location, there are some rights that you are guaranteed automatically. These rights include the right to file a claim, the right to receive treatment from a doctor of your choosing, the right to go back to work after receiving approval of your doctor, the right to file for disability benefits if you can no longer work, the right to appeal claim denials, and the right to hire an attorney to represent your interests.
You also have what are known as rights to refuse. If your employer requests that you not file a workers’ comp claim or tries to get you to pay for treatment with your own insurance, you have the legal right to refuse. It’s also important to be aware that it is illegal for your employer to provide you with incentives in exchange for not filing a claim.
Personal Injury Suits
Some workplace injuries are not the responsibility of your employer and will not be covered by workers’ comp. These cases usually involve injuries caused by a negligent employee or by defective work gear. If you’ve experienced an injury due to one of these issues, you will need to file a third-party personal injury suit instead of a workers’ compensation claim.
An experienced attorney should be able to tell you what type of claim you should file after your injury.
Find a Workers’ Compensation Attorney
In the aftermath of a workplace injury, it can be hard to know how to act so that you can get the support you need. To find help filing your workers’ compensation claim or filing a personal injury lawsuit, you only need to hire a workers’ compensation attorney from Parrish DeVaughn, Injury Lawyers.
The legal professionals at Parrish DeVaughn understand the complex nature of workers’ comp, and we can help you fight for your claim. Contact Parrish DeVaughn today to get the representation that you deserve.