What should I do after getting injured at work?
Palm Beach Gardens work injury attorneys urge workers to take quick action if they have been injured on the job. The steps taken immediately after a workplace accident could impact the amount of compensation you can collect. If you were hurt at your job, follow these steps:
Make an Accident Report
The first step work injury attorneys in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida would suggest is to make an accident report. You have a limited amount of time to report an accident that occurs in the workplace. If you file an accident report too late, you might not be able to recover compensation for your injuries. Be sure to obtain a copy of the accident report and keep it in a safe place.
Get Medical Attention
Even if your injuries do not seem that serious, it’s still important to seek medical care as soon as possible. Symptoms might not be present right away and an injury may become more serious over time. A doctor can examine your injuries and determine if they require treatment. Your employer’s insurance company may assume that you weren’t actually hurt if you don’t have any medical records to support your claim. Palm Beach Gardens work injury attorneys have likely seen individuals get their workers comp claims denied because they waited too long to see a doctor.
Follow Your Doctor’s Orders
If your doctor recommends treatment for your injuries, it may be in your best interest to follow his or her orders. If you do not go to your doctor’s appointments, it can impact your workers comp claim. Your employer’s insurance company may wonder why you aren’t following your doctor’s advice and decide to reject your claim.
Take it Easy
If your injury requires you to take some time off of work, it is important to take your time recovering. Do not try to return to work before you are ready. Palm Beach Gardens work injury attorneys have represented clients who returned to work too soon and were not able to perform their jobs properly — or worse, they were injured again. Keep in regular contact with your employer to let him or her know how you are doing and discuss plans to return to work.
Hire an Attorney
Sometimes employers deny workers comp claims or offer a settlement amount that’s too low. In these types of situations, it may be necessary to hire a team of Palm Beach Gardens work injury attorneys. They may help you file an appeal and negotiate for fair compensation. During your initial consultation with your attorneys, you may be asked several different questions, such as how the accident happened and how your employer initially responded. Include as many details as possible in your answers and do not hesitate to voice your own questions and concerns during your meeting.
What happens if workers’ compensation benefits doesn’t cover my total losses?
Workers’ compensation benefits are provided to workers who have been injured on the job, or have otherwise developed a work-related illness. Although it’s a very beneficial program, one might wonder what happens when workers’ comp does not cover the full amount of compensation?
Is There Any Other Form of Compensation Available
As a workers’ compensation lawyer might tell you, there may be ways to recover further money from a workplace injury or illness. Although you might be prohibited from collecting anything other than workers’ comp benefits from your employer, it might be possible that other parties were liable for what happened. If any party that is not associated with your employer caused you to be harmed at work, you may be able to file a personal injury claim. On the other hand, if you were on the premises of another property, and engaged in a work-related duty, and your were injured, you may be able to file a premises liability claim. It is recommended to consult a workers’ compensation lawyer.
Common Workplace Related Accidents
Slipping and falling
Machine accident
Electrocution
A heavy object falling from above
Burns
Lacerations
Chemical exposure
What Workers’ Compensation Covers
If you are eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, you should not worry about your medical care because that should be 100% covered. In the event that you cease treatment because a doctor believes you are better, but you need medical care for an issue that arises later, your benefits should cover it. Workers’ compensation also covers a portion of your wages. If you are a family member of someone who died while working, funeral and burial costs and death benefits may be available. Finally, if you are rendered disabled, you may recover benefits. Workers’ compensation benefits does not cover pain and suffering, loss of consortium, loss of support, or punitive damages. The only way to recover these benefits is to file a personal injury claim. Whether or not this is possible will depend on the facts of your case. A workers’ compensation lawyer can help you to determine this during a case review.
Pain and Suffering Benefits
Personal injury claims tend to include pain and suffering benefits. However, workers’ compensation benefits do not include these. If you have experienced so much pain that has hindered your ability to enjoy life, and a third party caused your injury, a workers’ compensation lawyer might advise you to consider filing a separate personal injury claim.
Do You Need a Lawyer?
No two cases are exactly alike. If your case is straightforward and your injuries are not very serious, you might be okay with going through the workers’ comp process on your own. However, it won’t hurt to get advice from a lawyer. The more complex your case is, the more you should have a good workers’ comp lawyer on your side. If you are ready to explore what options may be available and whether or not you should have a workers’ compensation lawyer to help you along the way, call the Law Offices of Franks, Koenig, & Neuwelt.
If you are searching for Palm Beach Gardens work injury attorneys, contact the Law Offices of Franks, Koenig & Neuwelt.
