Common Mistakes People Make When Filing a Claim for Workers' Compensation

 Posted on December 20, 2022 in Workers' Compensation

To put it plainly, workers' compensation is there to help injured workers when they need it most. Compensation for a work-related injury is often used for medical expenses, lost wages, and even total disability if the injury was severe to the extent that the injured person became disabled because of the injury. Thankfully, the Illinois Workers' Compensation act mandates that employers provide workers' compensation insurance to their employees. 

However, like many other government programs, the process for obtaining workers’ compensation can be difficult and highly complex. As a result, making a mistake when filing your claim can be easy. To ensure that no errors are made, contacting, and working with an experienced workers' compensation attorney is essential to ensuring the process is as smooth as possible.

What Mistakes Do People Make When Filing Their Claim? 

Making a mistake during the workers’ compensation process is an excellent way to derail your claim. Besides not hiring an attorney after their work-related accident, the first mistake people often make when filing for workers' compensation is failing to receive medical treatment for their injuries promptly. If you delay getting treatment for your injuries, the insurance company will likely argue that your injury could not have been that serious if it did not require prompt medical treatment. So get treatment as soon as possible. 

Another mistake people make is failing to document their accident's details. The time after being injured can be a hectic one. However, it is crucial you record everything you can about your accident while it is still fresh in your mind. It is also important to document whether there were witnesses to your accident and their reactions upon seeing it. This type of information can prove vital in a workers' compensation claim. 

You also want to ensure you immediately let your employer know you have been injured. However, you should not just report your injury verbally. Instead, write an email to your employer to have a record of what exactly you said to your employer about your injury. Do not wait to inform your employer of your injury, as this may hurt your chances of receiving workers' compensation.

Contact a Joliet Workers' Compensation Attorney

Just because the workers' compensation process has a reputation for being complex does not mean it has to be. Contacting the highly knowledgeable Will County workers' compensation lawyers with McNamara Phelan McSteen, LLC may make all the difference regarding whether you successfully file for workers' compensation. Call 815-727-0100 for a free consultation.

Source: 

https://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs3.asp?ActID=2430&ChapterID=68