What to Do to Protect Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
You’ve been injured at work—what happens now? Whether you work as a caregiver, construction worker, factory laborer, or another position in Southern California, you have legal rights. The workers’ compensation system offers benefits to injured workers like you. However, getting the benefits you’re owed isn’t always easy. Employers and workers’ comp insurance providers can drag the process out, especially if they think your claim is not legitimate. Luckily, there are things you can do to keep your claim moving and protect it from denial. And if it’s denied and you don’t know what to do next, we’re here to help. The team at Pisegna & Zimmerman makes it easy to start your case anywhere, thanks to our Zoom-ready team and DocuSign document handling. Call us at 818-888-8888 to set up a consultation now.
While work injuries can happen in any industry, certain industries definitely have more than their fair share of claims. The latest data from California highlights the industries most commonly affected by nonfatal work injuries. Some of the industries with the highest injury rates include retail, restaurant work, transportation and warehousing, residential care, and health care.
Report Your Injuries Immediately
One of the most important things you can do is report your injury immediately. Don’t wait to see if it gets better or worse. Report it to your supervisor right away and fill out the necessary paperwork to start the workers’ compensation claim process. In California, you must report your injury within 30 days.
In your report, be specific about what happened and how you were injured. Detail the body parts affected and the immediate limitations you’ve noticed. Keep a copy of your report so you can track the progress of your injury and ensure that you remember key details.
Get Checked Out by a Medical Professional
Quick assessment of your injuries is critical, both for your recovery and for your workers’ compensation claim. In California, most employers have an MPN or HCO. An MPN is a group of health care providers selected by your company or their insurance provider to handle workers’ compensation claims. An HCO is an organization that is approved to provide managed medical care. If your employer has neither, the claims administrator gets to choose your treating physician for the first 30 days of your injury. If you seek care at an unapproved facility or with an unapproved physician, workers’ compensation may not pay your treatment costs.
Your physician will likely provide you with paperwork to give to your employer or keep for your own files. Make copies of everything; should your claim be denied by your employer or their insurance provider, every piece of evidence will help. The sooner your appointment takes place after your workplace accident, the harder it is for the insurance company to deny the link between them.
Save Any Relevant Evidence
Don’t stop your evidence collection at your medical reports. Keep everything you can that relates to your accident and injuries. Valuable evidence may include:
- Photographs: Few injured victims take pictures at a workplace accident scene, but doing so may be helpful if you happen to have your phone on hand. If your supervisor takes photos, as is often required for a workers’ comp claim, you may request copies if you wish.
- Witness statements: If any of your coworkers saw what happened, ask them for witness statements outlining exactly what they saw prior to, during, and after the accident. These details fade with time, so talking-to them as early as possible is recommended.
- Workplace reports: Keep copies of any reports you get from your place of employment.
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- nication logs: Whenever you discuss your claim with a supervisor or insurance representative, make a note of it. Include the date, time, who who you spoke with, and what you discussed.
Follow Your Doctor’s Instructions
This is easily one of the most important parts of creating a strong workers’ compensation claim. Attend all of your doctors’ visits, do the exercises or stretches they recommend, and follow their treatment recommendations to the letter. This shows that you are committed to making a full recovery and solidifies the credibility of your claim. If you must cancel an appointment, reschedule it immediately. If you encounter any obstacles while trying to follow your treatment plan, discuss your concerns with your doctor right away.
Injured At Work? Contact Pisegna & Zimmerman for Help Today
Make sure you get the benefits you are entitled to as an injured worker. If your employer tries to deny you the benefits you deserve, turn to the team at Pisegna & Zimmerman. With Zoom meetings and DocuSign for your legal documents, we make sure you can fight for what’s right from the comfort of home. Call us at 818-888-8888 or get in touch online to set up a meeting with our team.
William Zimmerman is an experienced Los Angeles work injury attorney at Pisegna & Zimmerman. He offers invaluable advice and assistance when dealing with the often complicated workers’ compensation system. As part of Pisgena & Zimmerman, he and his team are a full-service law firm that is dedicated to obtaining the maximum amount of compensation from all available sources.