What Injured Employees Need To Know About Workers' Compensation
Being injured at work can be an experience that may leave a worker with major medical expenses and lost wages. Workers' compensation coverage is available to help alleviate some of these risks, but individuals that are misinformed about these coverages can be unable to effectively use them when the time to file a claim arrives. The following can help clear up some myths that people believe about workers' compensation.
Myth: Worker's Compensation Will Only Cover Medical Expenses
The medical expenses that follow a major workplace injury can be substantial, but these costs are far from the only ways that a workplace injury can cost an employee. For example, these individuals may simply be unable to return to work until they have fully recovered. This can put them in a position of losing substantial wages. Luckily, workers' compensation will help to protect employees from these damages by providing coverage for some of the wages that they may have lost. The amount of wages that the worker receives will vary, as some of these policies may provide total compensation for the missed wages while other plans may only provide partial reimbursement for missed wages.
Myth: You Must File An Appeal Immediately
In many situations, a worker will find that their claim is wrongly denied by the insurance company. Unfortunately, these individuals may assume that they have forfeited their right to appeal this denial due to not filing the appeal immediately. Luckily, it is common for workers to have up to a year to file their appeal for the denial. This can vary from one state to another, and workers should always review their local rules. Ideally, individuals should file any appeals fairly quickly, as this will make it easier for the evidence and other information to be obtained. This may also help the worker with more easily receiving the care they need to recover.
Myth: It Is Normal For Management To Be Adversarial About Worker's Compensation Claims
Some workers might assume that the management for their employer will be upset or otherwise adversarial when it comes to the workers' compensation claim. While it might seem like this should be normal, workers are protected against retaliation for filing these claims. Furthermore, most management will simply hand the claim to the insurance company to handle, and they should have little input in the matter. In situations where the worker is concerned that they are being retaliated against for filing this claim, an attorney may be able to pursue justice against the employer or management that were engaged in these actions.
For more information or help with filing, contact a workers' compensation attorney.
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