What are Common Questions About Workers’ Compensation?
Plantation, FL Work Injury Lawyer
If you get injured while you are at work, you’re probably not immediately thinking of the correct procedures that need to be taken following your accident. Hopefully, your workplace will have steps in place and someone knowledgeable to help you through the paperwork and make sure you get the proper treatment. However, that’s not always the case, and you may need the assistance of a Plantation, FL work injury lawyer.
In order to be able to collect workers’ compensation benefits from your employer, there are certain criteria that have to be met.
- You must have been accidentally injured at your place of employment while performing your job or become ill because of your job, such as being exposed to dangerous fumes or asbestos for example
What do you need to know when you suffer from an illness or accident at work?
Report the Illness or Injury
- Make sure you report every injury or illness that your physician say may be caused by your job. Get everything in writing, as a Plantation, FL work injury lawyer highly recommends.
- The injury must be documented to your human resource department, your immediate supervisor at the time of the occurrence. Fill out all necessary paperwork. If an insurance adjuster does not follow up with you, contact your employer and inquire as to why you have not heard from them.
Go to the Doctor
- If the accident requires an ambulance, you won’t have much choice where they take you. If it is a non-emergency, your employer may ask you to use a particular health care facility or doctor. Adhere to their advice to make sure the costs are covered by their workers’ compensation insurance company.
- Let the healthcare professional know that the accident or injury occurred on the job, as a work injury lawyer in Plantation, FL recommends. That will tell the billing department at the physician’s office know to invoice the workers’ comp insurance company or your employer instead of you.
- Work with the healthcare professionals to make sure your medical history about the illness or injury is comprehensive and inclusive so that the workers’ compensation benefits cover everything necessary.
Workers’ Compensation and Fault
Even if the accident at work is your fault, you are still covered by workers’ compensation insurance. If you slip and fall at work because there was a puddle on the floor, your claim cannot be denied because you should have known the floor was slippery. In that respect, workers’ compensation is considered to be no-fault insurance.
This does not mean you can file a claim for anything that happens at work. If you get hurt because of blatant stupidity — you are horsing around with coworkers and someone gets hurt for example — there are some states where you will not be able to collect workers’ comp benefits.
If you are having trouble with your workers’ compensation claim, contact and experienced Plantation FL work injury lawyer from the Law Office of Franks, Koenig & Neuwelt as soon as possible.