Working hard allows you to play hard. You do what you must to take care of your family, and whether you love it or not, you understand it is a way of life. What would happen if you couldn’t work because of an injury? If that incident occurred on the job, you might be entitled to file a workers’ compensation claim to get benefits to help out with medical care and lost pay. Find out what steps you should take if you find yourself laid up because of a work accident.
Go To the Doctor
Depending on the severity of the accident, you may not have a choice but to get medical care. A major accident, like one that may occur at a construction site, may result in the paramedics taking you to the emergency room. However, an integral part of the workers’ comp process is getting a medical report. Without it, you cannot file a claim through your employer.
Speak To Your Human Resources Rep or Manager
Your company hierarchy may be such that you have an HR department that acts as a liaison between management and staff. However, if this isn’t how things work with your employer, then you should speak to your direct supervisor. Any workers comp lawyer Orlando will tell you that reporting the incident formally will result in a document called the first report of injury. This is your account of the events leading up to the accident that caused your injury. In it, you will also give the names of witnesses and the doctor’s diagnosis.
Workers’ Compensation Carrier Investigation
The person who is responsible for investigating a workers’ comp claim is an adjuster. The adjuster will get the first report of injury and delve further into the details surrounding the incident. They may want to speak to you, get your medical records and interview the employer representative and witnesses. Ultimately, the adjuster will decide whether to start issuing benefits while the investigation is ongoing.
Speaking to someone who is well versed with workers’ compensation claims may prove helpful to your cause.