Insights Into How Our Legal System Works

Avoid These 3 Mistakes In Your Workers' Compensation Claim

13 January 2016 by Yolanda Lane

No one expects to be injured on the job, but it happens--oftentimes when you least expect it. One minute you are doing your job, the next minute a heavy piece of equipment falls on your foot or a forklift driver hits you because they didn't see you there. Workplace injuries occur more often than you think. While you can control your own actions, you cannot predict what someone else is going to do. If you were injured at work, there are a few key mistakes you want to avoid to ensure you get the maximum amount allowed for your workers' compensation claim.

Lying about your symptoms and injuries.

Oftentimes, people feel like they need to embellish upon their injuries and symptoms. While they think they are only strengthening their workers' compensation claim, they are in fact making it worse. You might not realize it, but you are going to have to go through any number of tests during the exam before you actually start receiving compensation for your injuries. Lying could cause your case to be thrown out. The minute the doctor thinks you are lying about your injuries, they are going to document your case file accordingly and no one is going to take what you say seriously. Since insurance fraud isn't legal, you could find yourself in a world of trouble that you didn't bargain for.

Not listening to what your doctor says.

If your doctor tells you to go to physical therapy five days per week, you better go. Don't ever ignore what they say. There is a reason they are asking you to do certain things. Even though you might think you are fine and don't need to go to therapy, you do. Otherwise, you could wind up hurting your case and being denied compensation.

Not choosing your own doctor.

Many individuals think they have no other choice but to go to the employer's doctor, but that isn't the case. You can choose to be evaluated by your own personal doctor. Even if you do get checked out by the company doctor, you can still get another opinion from your own private doctor. This can help make sure that your injuries are treated properly and not dismissed because the company doctor is trying to save the company on a workers' compensation claim.

Contact professionals such as Gilbert, Blaszcyk & Milburn LLP to make sure you are doing what you need to do throughout your case.

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