If you’re hurt at work or you’re diagnosed with a work-related illness, you may be eligible to claim workers’ compensation. However, you’ll need to prove that you’re eligible to receive workers’ comp before you can receive benefits. While your workers compensation lawyer will handle your claim for you, there are steps you can take to ensure you have all the relevant documentation to hand. To get started, take a look at these four tips for documenting your workers’ comp claim now:
1. Notify Your Employer in Writing
You’re required to notify your employer of an injury or illness before you can make a claim for it. In fact, failing to notify your employer can be grounds for a claim to be rejected or delayed, so it’s vital you remember to do this.
While your manager or supervisor may be aware that a workplace accident occurred, it’s always worth notifying them in writing too. This ensures there is a record of the incident, and it prevents the business claiming that they weren’t notified at a later date.
2. Keep Your Medical Documents
When you receive medical treatment, the details are added to your medical records. Usually, these are maintained electronically, so you won’t necessarily be given complete paperwork relating to your diagnosis or treatment. However, if you’re treated in hospital or in an ER, it’s likely you’ll be given discharge papers when you’re allowed to go home. If so, be sure to make copies and keep them somewhere safe.
Medical evidence can be a big component of a workers’ comp claim, so it’s useful to have as much documentation as possible. Although your lawyer can request copies of your medical records (with your consent), having the paperwork to hand can speed up the claims process.
3. Identify Witnesses
If you’ve been hurt due to a workplace accident, it’s advisable to keep a record of anyone who witnessed the incident. While CCTV footage can also come in handy, many businesses don’t have cameras in every part of the building. However, if someone else saw the incident occur, their account may have a bearing on the outcome of your claim. Be sure to write down the names of anyone who was around at the time of the incident so that they can be asked for a statement at a later date, if it’s necessary.
4. Calculate Your Costs
Workers’ comp can cover a variety of things, including the cost of your medical expenses and lost income. Of course, it’s easy to lose track of smaller expenditure, particularly when you’re focusing on recovering from an injury. By keeping track of what you’re spending, however, you can ensure that you aren’t left out of pocket due to an accident at work.
Claiming Workers’ Compensation
Making a claim for workers’ comp might seem easy at first, but the system can be complicated to navigate. Fortunately, it’s easy to access assistance from an experienced workers’ comp lawyer. With specialist help, you can ensure that your claim meets the relevant requirements and that you’re able to obtain compensation as quickly as possible.