A Work injury can leave you with many medical bills and missed work time. It causes people to stress about paying for their living costs. Thankfully, you could receive workers’ compensation benefits when you sustain a work injury. You have a legal right to claim compensation for your medical cost and lost wages. In addition, with workers’ compensation, you don’t have to worry about proving who’s at fault in the accident that caused your injury.
However, several people know how to properly file a claim, which could cause the insurer or Workers’ Compensation Board to deny the claim. Luckily, there are varying steps you can take to ensure you get the compensation you deserve. Our Florida workers’ compensation lawyers will explain the best ways to maximize your work comp settlement in this article.
Top Ways You Can Maximize Your Workers’ Compensation
Below are some of the top ways you can maximize your workers’ compensation settlement and reduce the chances of a denial.
Inform Your Employer of Your Work Injury
When you sustain a work injury, you must inform your employer immediately of the injury. If you delay for too long and don’t report the injury within 30 days, you will lose your chance of receiving workers’ compensation. Inform your employer about the injury immediately it happens; this will make it clear to the insurance carriers that your injuries are serious. Ensure you inform your employer in written form. Most employers have forms you can use to report the accident. However, if they don’t, find out the proper way to record the injury.
Get Medical Treatment Immediately
You should see the doctor if you suffer a work injury. Some people tend to wait a few days to see if the injury will heal. Don’t do this; see the doctor immediately, especially if it is a head injury or something as serious.
Your employer might insist you see a company doctor; agree with this. If you don’t, insurance carriers might argue that your injuries were not so bad or that they didn’t happen at work. The bottom line is to receive medical treatment quickly, so the insurance company doesn’t use the delay as a reason to reduce your settlement.
Follow Up the Workers’ Compensation Claim
After reporting your injury to your employer, they are obligated to file the claim with their insurer. However, some employers may fail to do this, especially if they don’t want to pay benefits. So, confirm they filed the claim and follow up on the progress.
Understand the Different Disability Ratings
Sometimes, your work injury could result in a disability that prevents you from working for a while. There are different types of workers’ compensation disabilities, and they are:
- Temporary Total Disability: This type of disability keeps you from working totally for a certain amount of time.
- Temporary Partial Disability: If your work injury prevents you from performing certain job duties for a specific period, you have a temporary partial disability.
- Permanent Total Disability: These are work injuries that prevent you from doing your job again or any job.
- Permanent Partial Disability: This disability prevents you from performing specific work duties permanently.
The depth of your work injury determines the disability rating your doctor will give you. Disabilities are eligible for weekly benefits, and you can receive up to two-thirds of your average weekly wage. If you suffer a permanent disability, it could leave you eligible for a lifetime schedule of weekly benefits.
Don’t Give Recorded Statements
Insurance companies sometimes ask the injured worker questions that they could use to lower the compensation. If the insurance carrier asks you for a recorded statement or informs you they want to record a phone conversation, don’t accept. You should speak to your workers’ compensation lawyer first so that no one can use anything against you.
Maximize Your Settlement With the Help of Our Workers’ Comp Lawyers
Ensure you don’t waste any time filing for a workers’ comp claim, as it makes it harder to get the maximum compensation you deserve. You should also note that even if your employer is sympathetic to your work injury, the insurance company might not be. However, you can use these tips above to ensure maximum compensation.
At Work Injury Rights, we ensure you get the best compensation possible after your work injury. Also, we protect your rights and ensure you do not suffer any injustice for filing the claim. Contact our office for a comprehensive case evaluation to discuss the details of your case and how our skilled workers’ compensation lawyers can help you.
