Key Things To Remember Legally When You Have A Compensation To Claim At Work

February 1, 2018

Disclaimer: The contents of this article should not be taken as legal advice and should only be used as a resource to provide information about key things to remember legally when you have a compensation to claim at work. You should always seek the services of a lawyer specializing in workers’ compensation claim cases to give you a more in-depth view of this matter.

You’ve been working as a custodian in Company XYZ for three years now. You’ve been able to work with different people in the company, and you don’t mind the job because you love the corporate working environment. Your daily routine would include cleaning different areas of the office, which you only have access to. You were busy dusting off a cabinet mounted a few feet away from the ground with the use of a ladder when you fell and hurt yourself badly. After regaining your consciousness, you stood up and noticed that the ladder appeared to be old and that the structure had a crack on the side. You suspected that this was the culprit of your fall. And because you were severely hurt and could miss days from work, you decided to file a worker’s compensation claim from your company. You think that doing this will be the best option available to you.

Since this is your first time to file a worker’s compensation claim for the injuries you’ve incurred, you should take the time to understand the things involved in the process. The process is tedious, yes, but once you know what to remember legally when you have a compensation to claim at work, you’ll have a clearer picture of what should you do (and not to do), and what you’re legally entitled to. You’ll also know what to expect as to the extent your employer can help you with your injuries. To help you out, take the time to read this information on the key things to remember legally when you have a compensation to claim at work:

Reporting your injury right away will go a long way

Although it can be tempting, posting what happened to you on social media shouldn’t be a priority if you’re injured at work. Instead, report the injury to the management of the company as soon as possible. Inform them honestly of what happened and how you think the accident happened. It’s also important that you take evidence of the injury and the place where the injury happened. Pictures taken on and around the area will be very helpful for you. Once you have sufficient documents to support your claim, seek medical help.

Your employer should provide you with Workers’ Compensation coverage information

Your employer is required by law to inform you of everything about workers’ compensation claim. They are responsible for educating you on what’s in store for you once you make use of this claim and they should also provide assistance so you can maximize the claim. They should not hold any information from you. But you should seek for their help as soon as possible because if you don’t, your chances of being helped by the company and the state are decreasing by the minute.

Your employer can’t fire you because you’re making a claim

It’s illegal for an employer to fire you just because you’ve filed a claim for being injured at work. Again, they should be there to help you in the process and not ruin the chances of you being compensated for the damages you’ve incurred from work.

You should not seek help from just any medical provider

Workers’ compensation payments are typically calculated using a formula with a lot of other variables thrown in in the process. And because the type and severity of the injury play big role in the computation, you should seek medical help from a provider who has a background on workers’ compensation law. The medical provider should be meticulous enough with the calculation involved in the claim and should be able to give you the medical attention that you need.

Filing for a claim doesn’t make you a burden, it’s your right

You should not have any second thoughts about whether or not to file a claim. This is your right, and you’re entitled to receive assistance whenever you’re injured from work. You might feel like you’re a burden once you’re living off the system but you shouldn’t have this mindset. On the contrary, you should strive to win in court by providing necessary evidence and documents because that’s your right.

No matter how careful you are at work, there will be instances when accidents happen at work. And if these accidents do happen during your working hours while you were doing your job, it’s just right that you take action and use the workers’ compensation law to your advantage. You’ve been physically and financially affected, and this law can help you with these problems. To ensure that this process will go as smoothly as possible, you should take note of the things you should do legally, as presented in this article. Time is essential in the process so make sure you do everything that’s expected of you as soon as possible.

Sabrina Wright

Sabrina Wright is a vibrant young law writer currently writing her next big project. Her modern outlook on the law field is reflected on her informative pieces. Sabrina loves cooking and often invites her friends over for barbecue.