The Go-To Tips That’ll Help You Win Your Workers’ Compensation Claim

No one likes to have a car accident while driving, and you aren’t going to like it much when the other person is at fault and doesn’t have insurance to cover your medical bills. Or maybe you’re in an office job, and you slip on some water that was carelessly left by someone who didn’t clean up after themselves. It’s tough to deal with these situations, but they are an unfortunate reality of life. Of course, it doesn’t have to be as bad as it can be. Here’s a list of tips and tricks that should help you ensure the compensation you deserve.

#1 Always report your injury immediately

Most insurance companies will try to claim that injuries were not reported on the day that they were sustained. If you have a good case, then it will be important that you report your injury immediately or within 24 hours at least for the insurance company not to claim otherwise.

Before reporting your injury to any other authority, you should report to your employer, and ensure that you are very specific about what happened.

#2 Get Prompt Medical Treatment

It’s important to get prompt medical treatment after you’ve been injured on the job. This is because workers’ compensation cases are time-sensitive, and you’ll need medical evidence that can show that your injuries were caused by work. If you go too long without seeing a doctor, it may be difficult (or even impossible) for your lawyer to win your case.

Workers’ compensation is designed to help employees that have been injured on the job. This is why it’s important that employees educate themselves on how they can win their workers’ compensation claims in case of accidents or injuries at work.

#3 Consider Hiring a Workers’ Comp Lawyer

Hiring a workers’ compensation lawyer can help you win your claim. Not only should you hire an attorney if the injury is severe, but it’s also worth considering even if you’ve suffered what may seem like a minor injury. Even small injuries that don’t require immediate medical attention should be reported to your employer as soon as possible, especially because they can develop into more serious medical conditions later on.

The state you work in has a lot to do with whether or not you should hire an attorney, and the type of lawyer to look for. Depending on where you live, you can find an attorney by searching online. For instance, you can Google workers compensation lawyers in Perth, if you live in Australia, and you will find a couple of options. However, seek help when you need assistance filling out the workers’ compensation paperwork.

#4 Obtain Witness Statements

Witness statements are a great way to win workers’ compensation claims. It’s important that you have access to reliable witnesses, so an effective way to do this is to always have a camera on hand. When witnessing an accident or injury, it’s best if pictures can be taken of the scene before anyone touches anything. This will help keep things fair and prevent people from trying to cover up the true circumstances of what happened.

Gather as much information and evidence as you can before approaching your insurance company or employer with a claim. Accident reports, witness statements, medical bills, etc., are all necessary forms of documentation that will help prove your case against your employer.

#5 Be Consistent in Your Statements

If you are filing for workers’ compensation benefits, there are certain factors that the insurance company will use to try to get out of paying. One of these is inconsistency in your statements about how your injuries occurred. While this one may take some time and effort on your part, it’s important that you are consistent each time you give an account of how you were injured. For example, if someone at work was being careless, and you got hurt, which happened to me in my last job, make sure you stick to the same story when describing what happened to anyone who asks.

#6 Get Ready for Your Independent Medical Examinations

Everybody knows that the most important part of any workers’ compensation claim is how badly you were injured in the accident. However, another very important part of your case will be your IMEs – your Independent Medical Examinations.

Although they will not determine whether you win or lose your workers’ comp case directly, they are critical to establishing your case. An IME is a medical examination that you need to undergo in order to prove how badly you were injured. In some cases, the severity of your injury will be obvious – it is very hard for someone who broke his or her spine to argue that they are totally fine and can walk without problems. However, in other cases where the injury is not as obvious, such as carpal tunnel syndrome or chronic back pain, you need to show the courts that you are suffering.

An IME is necessary for both of these reasons – firstly because you want to prove how badly you were injured and secondly, because the more severe your injury is, the more money you will be entitled to as damages.

#7 Keep Detailed Records of Everything

The records you keep of your injuries and the resulting pain can be a great asset to your workers’ compensation claim. It’s important for the insurer to have specific documentation about how your initial injury progressed. They need solid proof that it was work-related, and not just an accident taking place during a simple home chore or recreational activity.

Workers’ compensation claims are based on what that injury does to your ability to perform your job duties. If you can’t do your work because of pain, swelling, headaches, tingling sensations, and so on – it’s considered a “work-related” injury. Any conflicting reports from your doctor about how your injuries have progressed can be countered with the records you’ve been keeping of symptoms and how much they’ve affected your life.

So be diligent about taking notes on how well (or not) you’re recovering from surgery or other medical treatments related to your work injury. That will give the insurer a better idea of whether or not any permanent damage has been done, and what your future medical needs are likely to be.

Although it is a difficult process, workers’ compensation benefits can be a great way to get compensation for your injuries and lost wages. As long as you follow these tips above on how to win your claim, you should have a very good shot at winning the amount you deserve.