Workers Compensation Tips and To Do’s
If you think about it, a Workers’ Compensation Claim usually places the interests of an employee up against the interests of an employer. The employee wants to be compensated for pain, lost wages, etcetera, while the employer does not want to have a big claim – does not want their cost of compensation insurance to go up. So as you can imagine, the situation becomes adversarial. An employee may end up not liking their employer after a Workers’ Comp situation arises, or not thinking as highly of the company – and it’s vice versa for how the company views the employee.
It’s always best to be honest, to minimize conflict. And to document absolutely everything, from symptoms to accident details to comments made by the other side. But even so, these claims will often necessitate the use of an attorney who handles workers’ compensation cases. There’s a reason this type of attorney exists – because the claim, the process, can be complex and arduous – and certain skills and knowledge help the employee’s side/ help the case of the injured worker.
Your employer has insurance, so why would the company make things difficult for you or dispute your claim? Well, it comes down to the almighty dollar. The more Workers’ Compensation cases that are filed against any business, the higher price that business will pay for premiums. In addition, the more expensive the claim (the more costly and involved the medical treatment is), the more the cost of insurance rises for the employer
So, knowing the employer wants to minimize your claim and may very likely investigate every aspect of the claim and the incident, there are important tips to follow. You always want to report injuries as soon as they happen, or as soon as possible. You should always get names of anyone who witnessed the incident, and anyone who had a role in the incident. And don’t hold back on medical treatment. People want to be tough sometimes, and so you may resist getting all the treatments you need, reducing the frequency or variety of treatment – but this hurts your case. Don’t tough it out – let the medical community do their best to help you.
When you do go to a doctor or any type of medical professional, don’t hold back. Share the details of what took place. It’s important that the medical professional understands what happened to you, in order to best treat you, but also it is important that their records show your description of the injury and incident.
Another thing to not hold back on – questions! You can ask an experienced workers compensation attorney to answer any and all questions. There is nothing to be afraid of and nothing to be embarrassed about. Accidents of all kinds happen every day – your attorney has seen and heard it all. In Oklahoma, as in all states, there are specific laws and requirements that apply to a workers’ comp case, and an experienced law firm such as Burton & Banks of Oklahoma City will be able to guide you every step of the way, pursuing greater success on your behalf.