Got Injured at Work? Here are the Next Steps to Take
Sometimes, a worker who gets injured on the job receives a denied worker’s comp claim due to reasons like missing the deadline for filing or not having enough information to support the claim. In Los Angeles, for instance, many brain injury lawyers get a lot of clients who’ve missed their deadline for filing a claim.
So if you get injured or contract an illness due to work, here are the next steps that you need to take:
Seek treatment
After you gather yourself, get first aid as soon as possible. If it is not an emergency situation, get other necessary medical treatment from a health care provider that is authorized by the Workers’ Compensation Board. If you require diagnostic tests or prescription medication, you may be required to transact with diagnostic centers and pharmacies who are under your employer’s compensation insurance.
Inform your supervisor
Let your supervisor know of the injury and how it occurred as soon as possible, both verbally and in writing. You need to do this within 30 days from the date of the injury. Otherwise, you may lose your workers’ compensation benefits.
If you develop an occupational disease, you must notify your employer within two years after you find out (or should have known) that the condition is a result of the nature of their work or two years after they become disabled.
File an accident report
If your injury was caused by an accident in the workplace, you should file an accident report to receive workers’ compensation benefits Even if you were not injured because of the accident, you should still file an accident report so your employer can make the workplace safer for you and other employees.
In the case of suspended symptoms that do not arise until a few weeks or months after the accident, the report can serve as proof of the cause when you file your workers’ compensation claim then.
Make a workers’ compensation claim
Obtain a workers’ compensation form (Form C-3) as soon as possible. You may complete the form on the web version or on paper. After you complete the details, you can mail the physical forms to the Workers’ Compensation Board office nearest you. You can also go to the office and complete the forms there. The board will send you a letter if there is any action with your claim. If you need assistance or have questions, you can contact the office where you filed your claim.
After you file your claim, there’s nothing much else you can do except wait for the result. In the meantime, you can do what is needed to make a speedy recovery, comply with a medical examination if required, and go back to work when your provider gives you the green light.
Getting injured or sick because of work is something that no employee wants for themselves and their families. But when you find yourself in this unfortunate situation, it’s better to know what to do so you can receive your compensation benefits without a hitch.
