Financial Woes For Hurt Workers
Posted on: 29 June 2022
Being hurt on the job can lead to budgetary problems quickly. Most workers depend on a salary to support their family and pay their bills. When workers are hurt, they may have medical bills piling up. In some cases, those workers have had problems getting their workers' compensation benefits to come through for them. Read on and learn more about dealing with the financial woes of being hurt on the job.
Initial Benefits
After being hurt, it can take a few weeks to get your claim accepted and your benefits started. You don't have to wait, though, to seek medical treatment. Go to your doctor or the emergency room and get treated for your work injury no matter what. The longer you wait, the more serious the medical problem could become. Also, with each passing day that you delay treatment, you are increasing the chances of the workers' compensation insurer not paying benefits.
Denied Benefits
If you have been denied workers' comp benefits, determine the reason. The insurer will send you a letter detailing the reasons. If you can get it straightened out with a phone call or amending your claim form, do so. However, if you are being denied benefits for an unjust reason, speak to a workers' compensation lawyer. They can represent you in communications with the insurer to get to the bottom of the claim denial.
You Are Offered a Settlement
To a hurt worker who is feeling the effects of not earning a full salary, an offer of a lump sum amount might seem like the best thing ever. However, these offers often take advantage of hurt workers who are becoming desperate to get things settled. The settlement may be far from adequate and fail to take into account your ability to work at jobs in the future. Settlements can be complex and have life-changing provisions that may not be changed once you agree to them. Once you agree, it's nearly impossible to open a workers' compensation case back up again. Usually, those claims are only reconsidered when fraud by the insurer is proven.
What to Do
You can keep from being taken advantage of by taking these steps:
- Don't agree to a settlement without speaking to a workers' compensation lawyer. They can evaluate your situation and determine what a proper settlement would be.
- Watch yourself while you are home from work, outside, and out in public. You may be followed by an insurance investigator trying to catch you doing things you should not be able to do.
- Once you have a workers' comp lawyer, don't speak to the insurer or your employer again. Refer all communications to your lawyer.
For more information, contact a company like Neifert Byrne & Ozga.
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