People working for employers in the United States are required to be protected by workers’ compensation insurance. This insurance is purchased by employers to cover any injuries, medical bills and lost wages that occur as a result of an accident on the job. Though this insurance coverage is meant to protect workers, the process is often laden with delays, miscommunications and denials. Many workers do not fully understand the steps they need to take and often feel they are being given the runaround. It is imperative injured people learn workers’ compensation processes and hire a lawyer to help them.
There are several steps in filing a claim for workers’ compensation:
- The worker must first inform his or her employer who will then file the claim with the insurance company. This often involves filling out an accident report and having the employee go through drug and alcohol testing to ensure the worker was not under the influence while performing the job.
- Once a claim has been filed, the insurance company has a set period of time to contact the injured worker and ask for a statement. The worker may be asked to explain how their injuries occurred through a recorded statement.
- Injured workers are required to see the doctor who works for the insurance company. Though they hold the right to also be treated by their own doctor, they must be examined and diagnosed by the insurance doctor.
- The doctor will report back to the insurance company on the worker’s diagnosis and prognosis. This will determine whether or not the claimant is approved or denied and for how long.
Injured workers often feel they are victimized by the insurance system, which seeks to pay out as little as possible on claims. Many workers are unfairly denied and end up having to file appeals with their lawyers.
Workers who have been injured on the job should be proactive and learn workers’ compensation processes right away. Working with a lawyer often helps the claims process to proceed much more smoothly and efficiently.
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