Maximize Your Workers' Compensation Claim Potential
Brian O Sutter
Workers’ Compensation
For those pursuing a workers compensation claim in Englewood, Florida, it’s important to know just how to maximize your case. When you pay close attention to making the most of your case, you give yourself the best chance to get the full compensation you deserve, but many injured employees make simple mistakes that could jeopardize their total settlement amount. For most, filing a workers' compensation claim isn’t something they do often. As a matter of fact, most who file a workers' compensation claim after an injury are doing so for the very first time, so they may not know just how detrimental their actions are to their case. A few tips can help injured workers to maximize their workers' compensation claim and ensure they’re not doing anything to potentially harm their case:
• Seek medical care immediately – When an employee is injured in Englewood, Florida the single most important thing they can do for their worker's compensation case is to seek medical care immediately. Any delay you may have between your injury and seeking medical attention can be the reason for workers' compensation insurance to deny your claim or downplay the severity of your injuries in your settlement amount. Even if you believe you may be “fine” if you give your injury a couple of days, seek a professional medical examination anyway.
• Tell your employer straight away – There is no good reason to wait to tell your employer that you’ve been injured on the job. If you choose to wait, workers' compensation insurance may deny that your injury happened at work at all, and they could use this to deny your case. After you’ve been injured, notify your employer, file an injury report, and seek medical care in that order.
• Be consistent and accurate in reporting your symptoms – When you file a workers compensation claim, you’ll want to keep track of your symptoms, your pain levels, and what care you’re receiving for your injuries or illness. Consistent and accurate record-keeping paints a clearer picture of your accident injuries and damages, making it more difficult for workers' compensation insurance providers to downplay or deny your case.
• Remember that you’re under a microscope – Workers compensation insurance providers will want to catch you in any “gotcha” moment they can. Your social media will likely be watched, as will your actions and your approach to following doctor’s orders. While you’re waiting on a workers compensation claim settlement, avoid using your social media, follow all medical directions, and make sure you’re not taking part in any risky activities.
• Be prepared to undergo an IME – An IME, or independent medical examination, is a medical examination given by a doctor approved by the workers' compensation insurance provider. They may conduct an IME at the early stages of your injury and again at any point until you’ve recovered. For this reason, it’s important to be accurate and consistent with your injury reporting and ongoing medical care. If an IME determines that you’ve been untruthful in your injury reporting, your case may be denied entirely.
• Have a personal injury attorney on your case – The best thing you can do to protect your workers' compensation case is to seek the assistance of a knowledgeable and experienced personal injury attorney who handles workers' compensation cases. Your attorney will be able to walk you through the entire process ensuring you maximize your case potential.