Workers’ compensation benefits may be able to help injured workers during a difficult period in their lives. For that reason, injured workers should be familiar with what they should do following a workplace injury.
Steps to take following a workplace injury
Injured workers should notify their employer of their workplace injury as soon as possible following the workplace accident. They should make a request for any needed medical treatment as soon as possible. The employer or insurance carrier has the right to select the physician to treat the injured worker. The employer also has certain requirements to meet and an assessment must be made to determine if the worker’s injury will be covered.
If a claim for workers’ compensation benefits is denied, and the injured worker disagrees, they can file a claim petition or a request for an informal hearing with the Division of Workers’ Compensation to review the claim for benefits. Disputes can arise concerning whether or not the injury was work-related; the type or extent of medical treatment needed; or whether or not temporary disability payments will be made to the injured worker.
Both medical benefits and disability payments may be available to injured workers to help them with both the medical care and treatment they require for their injury and the wages they have lost while they are unable to work. It is critical for injured workers to know what to do after suffering a workplace injury and to know how to obtain the benefits they need to help them through the challenges they face after a workplace accident.