If you have been injured or are suffering an illness due to your working environment, then you are eligible to file for workers compensation. You should always file a workers compensation claim to ensure that your medical bills will be covered and your wage loss will be made up for. In order to guarantee that you receive the proper compensation, it is essential that you follow these four key steps:
- Report Injury or Illness: The first and most important step is to report your injury or illness to your supervisor. Your employer is the one who is going to report the incident to the workers compensation insurance. Be sure that you always keep your supervisor informed about any changes to your injury or illness, as well. It is important that your employer knows just as much as you and your doctor in this situation this way there won't be any miscommunication that can have damaging effects on your compensation benefits.
- Take Note of Medical Costs: All medical costs that are a direct result of your injury will need to be taken note of to guarantee that your employer's workers compensation insurance is providing you with accurate coverage. You should also take note of how many days you had to miss from work to ensure that you receive wage compensation, as well, which you will be eligible for if you missed three days of work or more.
- Return to Work Immediately: After your injuries or illness has been treated, you will want to return to work as soon as possible. Of course, your employer and your doctor must agree to this before you return, but as soon as they do, you should return right away. This will ensure that it doesn't appear you are trying to receive more compensation that you really need, which will help to guarantee that you are taking full advantage of the workers compensation benefits instead of making the process more complicated.
- Hire a Lawyer if Necessary: If you feel that your workers compensation claim is being treated unfairly, then you should consider hiring a lawyer. Your lawyer will take a look at your medical files, calculate your total loss of wages, and more to ensure that you are definitely receiving proper compensation. If your lawyer feels that you are not receiving what is fair, he or she will fight to win more reasonable compensation.
Knowing what steps to take in a workers compensation claim will guarantee that you are taking full advantage of the benefits. This is not only important for yourself financially, but also for your family who relies on your health and your paycheck every month. For more ideas, check with a specialist at a place like the Franco Law Firm.
