A workplace injury can be devastating to an individual who depends on their income. Without the ability to work, a person may be unable to provide for themselves and their loved ones. In many circumstances, though, injured workers are able to seek workers’ compensation benefits to get them through their recovery.
However, many injured workers miss the opportunity to seek workers’ compensation benefits because they make one critical error. This post will discuss that mistake and how workers can avoid it. This post is informational in content, and all readers should know that its contents do not provide legal advice. When questions about workers’ compensation claims arise, injured workers can speak with trusted attorneys about their rights and options.
The importance of notifying the employer
Depending on the severity of a worker’s injury, the first step that they should take after a workplace accident is to inform their employer of what happened. Notifying one’s employer of an injury-causing accident puts the employer on notice of a pending workers’ compensation claim. In some situations, workers may suffer severe injuries and require medical attention before they may give notice of their losses. Notification of a workplace injury should be done as soon as possible following the injury-causing accident.
When a worker fails to inform their employer that they have suffered a loss at work, they may eventually run out of time to do so. The failure to provide timely notice of an injury can bar a worker from seeking workers’ compensation later. This mistake can prevent an injured worker with a strong claim for workers’ compensation from getting the financial help that they need.
What other mistakes should workers avoid?
As mentioned, it is important that injured workers notify their employers as soon as possible when they suffer harm on the job. However, there are other mistakes that workers can make that may change the outcomes of their workers’ compensation claims. These include but are not limited to:
- Failing to request to see a doctor or other medical professional
- Failing to complete necessary workers’ compensation paperwork with their employer
- Failing to recognize their injury as work-related and not reporting it
Missing an opportunity to secure workers’ compensation benefits can create financial hardships for a worker who suffered an injury while on the job. Seeking workers’ compensation can be confusing, and not all workers are prepared to handle the important details of filing their claims on their own. When a workplace injury happens, injured workers should notify their employer of their injuries and consider seeking the counsel and representation of a trusted workers’ compensation lawyer to help them through their case.