Workers’ compensation insurance companies often do everything in their power to avoid paying out employee insurance claims. Much of the stress and work is placed on the incident victim himself to follow up with the claim and get it paid as soon as possible.
Be prepared for accidents at work and what to do next with the following 4 tips on applying for workers’ comp insurance:
Report the Incident Immediately and Get Witness Statements
After the incident has occurred, report it immediately to your supervisor or the human resources department. Make sure they start the paperwork right away. If anyone was around to witness the incident, take down their names, phone numbers and ask them for a brief statement on what happened. You’ll also need to record the exact time, location and date of the incident for future use.
Accurately Fill out Accident Forms
Obviously the most important thing to do after a work related incident is to seek medical attention. If possible, and if you’re not too injured or medicated, fill out an accident report the same day. Make sure the report is thorough and accurate, and that your witness statements are included as well. An inaccurate report could lead to delays in processing your request.
In cases of pedestrian accidents on work property or during a work sanctioned activity away from work property, accident reports will be lengthier because of the surrounding circumstances involved with the incident.
Give the Insurance Company a Limited Medical Authorization Letter
The insurance company will ask that you sign an authorization letter seeking access to your medical records. This request should be processed as soon as possible however, it should only be limited to your medical records, and nothing else.
Verify Everything with a Lawyer
While most workers’ comp insurance paperwork may seem straightforward, whether or not you filled it out completely and accurately will affect the outcome of your case. You might have to wait months or more before the company issues a check for your medical bills and other miscellaneous expenses.
Speaking with a competent attorney, like the professionals at the Law Office of Daniel E Goodman, LLC, will help move the process along quickly and will help alleviate much of the stress involved with the process. It will also help ease your mind knowing that someone is representing you against the workers’ compensation insurance company and, if necessary, against your employer.
Author Bio: Emma Sturgis is a freelance writer living in Boston, MA. When not writing, she enjoys reading and indoor rock climbing. Find her on Google +
