What To Do After Getting Hurt On The Job

Posted on: 1 July 2015

If you have become injured while on the job, you may wonder how to collect money while you are unable to work. Many people will fill out workers' compensation paperwork to help pay for medical expenses and lost wages. Here is a summary of what you need to do to get yourself enrolled, what benefits you will receive, and what you will need to do if you are denied benefits.

Get Medical Care

After you become injured, it is important to get the proper medical care right away. If your doctor informs you to stop working because of your injury, you will need to quickly file paperwork to make up for the money you will not be earning. Find out how long your doctor recommends you stay out of work. If it is long-term, you will want to fill out the paperwork. If it is only for a few weeks, you may be able to use sick or personal time while waiting to heal. Follow your doctor's orders regarding therapy and medication.

Inform Your Employer

The forms you need to fill out will be available through your employer or your doctor. It is best to opt to fill the forms out through your employer so they are aware of your condition and your wish to be compensated while you are out of work. If you fill out the paperwork on your own and fail to inform your employer, you risk upsetting them and having them retaliate by trying to deny you benefits. 

Wait For An Answer

The workers' compensation forms you receive will need to be mailed into your state's workers' compensation board. They will review your claim and give you an answer rather quickly about benefits you may receive. You will receive your notification through mail. If you are approved, you will receive workers' compensation checks to make up for your lost wages and medical expenses. 

If you are denied, and you believe you deserve the benefits, you will need to hire a workers' compensation attorney to help prove you should be receiving payments. You would take your case to a court setting to go through details about your injury to see if you are eligible. Make sure to keep copies of all pertinent medical information in case you need to use it to prove you are deserving of reimbursement.

Benefits You Receive

The benefits you will receive from workers' compensation will vary depending on whether you have dependents in your household or not. If you are only claiming yourself, you will receive two-thirds of the amount you would have made while on the job. If you have dependents it will be three-fourths of the amount you would have made. 

You will also be reimbursed for expenses you obtained from the doctor, hospital, and physical therapy sessions you may have taken. If you needed to pay for transportation to get to appointments, that will be reimbursed as well. If you are able to move to another position within the company, and you are required to have training for the job, money paid for the training is reimbursed through the workers' compensation program.

For more information about the process or for legal advice, check out websites like http://ransomgilbertson.com/.

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