Personal Injury Attorneys: Getting What You Deserve

Staying On Top Of Your Workers' Compensation Paperwork

10 June 2021

Laurie Flores

As you might already know, the digital age has not eliminated the need for reams of paperwork when it comes to certain things. A work-related injury and a resulting workers' compensation claim may be a prime example of that. Before you begin to get overwhelmed with the volume of paperwork coming your way, take a moment to read the below and prepare to be organized and ready to seek the benefits you deserve.

Why Stay On Top of Things?

Unfortunately, hurt workers can never know what lies ahead with their claim for workers' comp benefits. Some workers are denied benefits or encounter other issues with their claims. For that reason, workers' comp claimants should approach things from a cautious point of view. You might never know when a problem will pop up with your claim, so it pays to keep up with the below categories of documentation.

Medical Treatment Information

Getting better is the goal of all hurt workers. One of the prime benefits of the workers' comp insurance provided by your employer is the payment of all related medical expenses. To make sure you stay on top of all that treatment, keep medical billing statements, receipts, doctor's notes, and so on in a separate location from the rest of your paperwork.

Your Claim Form

Once you alert your supervisor to your injury, you must fill out a claim form before you can gain benefits. These forms vary from place to place, but most of them ask for the details of the injury. Don't sign a form that is incomplete or has inaccurate details on it. Be sure you retain a copy of the form after you sign it. If you don't hear from the insurer after a week or so, follow up to ensure they received the claim.

From Your Job

Once you file a claim, everything that happens going forward is governed by the workers' comp insurance company. That doesn't mean that your employer won't be in communication with you, though. When you do speak to your supervisor or anyone from work, make notes about what was discussed as soon as you can. If you get any correspondence from your employer regarding your job, keep it in your file. You cannot be fired for filing a claim, and if you are threatened with that possibility, you will need a workers' compensation lawyer to help you stand up for your rights.

Some employees find that are not getting the benefits they deserve, that they are being threatened with a job loss if they don't return immediately, or that they disagree with the workers' compensation doctor. Speak to a worker's compensation lawyer who understands what to do to advocate for what you deserve.

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