7 Important Steps to Take How to File For Worker’s Comp

7 Important Steps to Take How to File For Worker's Comp
7 Important Steps to Take How to File For Worker’s Comp

One of the most challenging types of speeches that we may be called on to give is the “how to” speech. These speeches require us to do a great deal of homework in order to collect all of the information that we are going to want to share with our audience. Once we’ve collected the facts, we then have to take the time to understand how we want to organize them in order to create an effective speech. We can’t overwhelm our audience with too much information, but we do need to provide a complete overview. Let’s take a look at how we could go about creating a speech about how to go about filing for worker’s comp.

Do you work in an office? That’s a safe work environment, right? You could never get hurt sitting at a desk most of the day.

If you think you won’t suffer an injury in the workplace, think again. There were 2.8 million injuries in 2018. It happens more than you think.

If you’re trying to learn how to file for workers comp, look no further. Below are seven steps you need to take if you want to file a successful claim.

1. See a Doctor

Before you to follow any procedures after an accident, you need to see a doctor. You should do this even if you don’t think you have a severe injury.

Whenever you get hurt, your body begins to produce extra adrenaline. This trigger will put your body into fight or flight mode. Even if you’re hurting somewhere, you may not realize it.

In some cases, it can be days or weeks before you start noticing any pain. Going to a doctor will help you determine the scope of your injury.

Some employers will want you to see their doctor during the process. It’s okay if you decide to get treatment from them. But if they give you any information you don’t like, make sure to get a second opinion.

2. Notify Your Employer About the Injury

Once you get your injury taken care of, you need to notify your employer about your injury. Make sure you do this the correct way.

Many states have laws that require you to notify your employer about your injury in a certain way. Make sure you look into these laws, so you get this part right.

Most of the time, this will need to be done in writing. You should still do this if this isn’t the law in your region. Doing things this way will give you a paper trail.

You don’t want to wait too long to make your report. You’ll lose compensation if you make your notification outside of your reporting window.

3. Get Your Claim Paperwork

It’s time to fill out your claim paperwork once you notify your employer about your injury. You won’t need to find any of the forms yourself. Your employer will have everything you need.

Make sure to take your time and fill out every detail you can think of. The insurance company will need as much information as you can give them. The better you can prove your case, the more likely you will be to get your settlement.

Make sure to make a note of the following things:

  • Date and time of the injury
  • People involved in the accident
  • Witnesses to the accident
  • Type of injury you sustained
  • Medical treatment you are currently getting

Even if you don’t have your full medical treatment plan yet, make sure to include everything that’s happened so far. You can give the insurance company the rest of the details as you get them.

4. Turn in Your Paperwork to Your Employer

You don’t have to file the claim with the insurance company yourself. Your employer purchases workers’ compensation insurance. Once you finish filling out the paperwork, give it to your employer to finish things.

They will likely have their own section to fill out. They will send your paperwork to the insurance company once they finish their side of things.

5. Wait for the Decision

You aren’t done with the process after your claim gets submitted to the insurance company. You may continue receiving medical treatment after you file your insurance claim. You need to keep track of everything that happens while the insurance company is deciding your claim.

Keep track of any lost wages, medical expenses, travel expenses, and suffering you experience. You are eligible to receive compensation for all these expenses. If you don’t have good records, then you won’t be able to prove your expenses to the insurance company.

6. Receive Your Settlement

The good news is that you won’t need to wait too long to get your settlement. It’s required by law that insurance companies not drag along the claim process for workers’ compensation. If they do, you may end up with an automatic claim approval.

If you succeed with your injury claim, you’ll need to decide how to receive your payout. You can get a lump-sum payment or staggered payments over some time.

Unfortunately, you may not get the settlement amount you were expecting. Make sure to negotiate with the insurance company to try and get the money you need.

7. Talk to an Attorney

Unfortunately, not all workers’ compensation cases work in favor of the employee. You aren’t out of options if this happens to you.

The first thing to do is file an appeal. You can do this directly with the insurance company or with the workers’ compensation board. The insurance company will re-examine your case if you do this.

If you think you won’t win your case, it’s worth it to talk to a workers’ compensation attorney about your problem. Getting an expert on the case can help you spot issues with your claim that you need to fix.

In most cases, you won’t need to worry about payment unless you win. An attorney can work on a contingency basis.

A contingency means an attorney won’t get paid unless you win your case. You’ll pay your attorney’s fee with a percentage of your claim settlement.

Now You Know How to File for Workers Comp

Now that you know how to file for workers comp, you don’t need to worry about making a mistake during the process. If you follow the steps above, you’ll be able to submit your claim and get the compensation you deserve successfully.