No one expects to be injured at work. But it only takes a split second for something to go wrong and for you to be left with serious harm. And the ramifications of these injuries can be significant, too, leaving you with extensive medical needs and an inability to work and earn a wage. Taken together, these losses can result in you feeling stressed, anxious, overwhelmed, and completely worried about what the future has in store for you.
The good news is that you may be able to find financial relief by pursuing a workers’ compensation case. But how do you know if you have a valid workers’ compensation claim?
Assessing your potential for a workers’ compensation claim
Generally speaking, you’re able to recover workers’ compensation benefits if you were injured at work or if you have an injury or medical condition that was exacerbated by your job duties. The incident must have been accidental in nature. Injuries that stem from some activities are thus excluded from workers’ compensation coverage. This includes injuries suffered while fighting, violating company policies, being under the influence, or self-inflicting harm.
After you suffer your injury, you should seek prompt medical care and follow your doctor’s recommendations. You also need to report your injury to your employer. Although it may seem easiest to verbally report the injury, it’s best to do so in writing so that you create a record of your reporting. After that, you’ll need to file your workers’ compensation claim with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation.
The issues you may face with your claim
So, if you’ve been injured at work, you might qualify for workers’ compensation. But you need to be prepared to address any arguments that might arise from the insurance company as you pursue your claim.
This might include that your injuries were suffered from some sort of intentional action, that your injury was suffered or made worse by something that you did outside the scope of your employment, or that your injuries are not so severe as to prevent you from working.
This highlights the importance of having thorough medical documentation and acting in a way that doesn’t raise suspicions as to the extent of your injury. Also, carefully think through the events that led up to your injury and analyze how you can portray them in a way that doesn’t provide an opening for the insurance company to argue that your own horseplay caused the injuries in question.
Keep timeframes in mind
Workers’ compensation claims are subjected to strict timeframes. If you fail to report your injury or file your workers’ compensation claim within those timeframes, the authorities may deny your claim.
Help is here if you need it
There’s a lot to take into account as navigate your worker’s compensation case. We know that can be intimidating, but you don’t want to make a mistake during any part of the process, as doing so could leave you susceptible to a negative outcome where you’re unable to pay for your medical care and meet your daily needs.
Fortunately, you don’t have to navigate your claim on your own. Attorneys who have proven themselves successful in handling these types of cases stand ready to help guide you through the process so that you can avoid some of the most common pitfalls seen when dealing with these claims. With that kind of support, you can maximize your chances of obtaining the financial resources that you need and deserve.