When people get hurt at work, they quickly become overwhelmed and make choices that can hurt the possibility of collecting compensation settlement later on. These mistakes are easy to make and are very common. Here we've outlined those mistakes and also given you tips on how to avoid them so that you can get the compensation money you rightly deserve to aid your recovery.
One mistake people make is they become too emotional right after the onset of an injury. They're upset and rightfully so, they've just been hurt, and they've done nothing to deserve their injury, they can very easily also become very angry. They may say things to their employer that they shouldn't. They make threats that put their employer on the defense and not on their side. The thing is, when you get hurt at work, you need your employer's cooperation to ensure that your workers compensation case moves forward smoothly and without obstruction. A spiteful angry or defensive employer can do a lot to keep your case from moving forward as it should. In the beginning, your employer will need to give a statement of what happened to you to the insurance company and in some cases, to your lawyer. They can deliberately prolong this process if they're angry or not concerned about you. Stay on the good side of your employer and they will be more likely to help you bring closure to your claim.
Another thing people do that can hurt their case is they refuse medical treatment right after the incident. This hurts your case in so many ways. Firstly, it diminishes your case because it makes it look like you didn't need to receive medical care. If you didn't seek medical help right away, the insurance company could look at that and think that your case is either a fraud or you don't really need financial assistance. If you've been hurt at work, never refuse treatment. Get it right away. Seek first aid at your work if you can or get others to help you. After you've received first aid, get to a doctor or the emergency room right away. Keep all of your medical records as you do so.
The third most common mistake people make in their claims is they fail to hire a lawyer if they've been hurt. They may think that they'll save money by not paying for a lawyer and handle their workers compensation case on their own. They may think they don't have a case, so they don't bother moving forward with their case let alone contacting a lawyer. Whatever the reason, contacting a lawyer will greatly increase the chances that you not only win your workers compensation case, but you may win more at the case or settlement than you would have alone. On top of that, lawyers that specialize on workers compensation cases usually don't charge a fee until you receive your settlement. There's no way you couldn't afford having a lawyer for your case.
There are many mistakes people make with their claims. Avoiding these common mistakes will greatly increase the chances of a smooth case that rewards you with a sizeable monetary amount and further you in a speedy recovery.