While it may be easier to get a company to pay a workers’ compensation claim if the company has a union, it is still possible to file a claim on a company that is not unionized. You will probably have to carry more of the burden of proving your claim yourself, so there are several steps that you need to take. Here are some steps to receive a workers’ compensation payment from a non-unionized company.
Report It and Seek Treatment
When you were hired, you were probably told the policy for reporting an injury if you were hurt at work. Make sure to follow the policy and seek medical attention. If the company self-insures, then you may need to tell your supervisor. Otherwise, you may need to call a phone number. Never put off getting medical treatment.
Gather Information
You will want to gather as much information as possible as soon as you can after the incident. Start by writing down exactly what happened. Attorneys on your employer’s side may try to convince you that it did not happen the way that you think it did. If there were witnesses to the accident, then gather their contact information. You also need to make sure that you know the name and phone number of the doctor who treated you.
File on Time
Each state has a different policy on how quickly you need to file your claim. Make sure to follow your employer’s and state’s guidelines. Supply them with information if requested. Most states require workers’ compensation companies, including self-insured like Walmart, to make a decision within a month. Even if a company is self-insured it is possible to make a successful claim, but you do not want to miss any deadlines.
Be Ready to Fight
Many times workers’ compensation claims are denied when they are first filed. You may want to hire a lawyer, like those at Oxner + Permar, PLLC, to work with you from the beginning. If your claim is denied then you definitely need a lawyer. There are important steps and deadlines that you need to take to have your case overturned on appeal. The company has lawyers working on their side, and you need lawyers working on your side as well.
Use these ideas to file a workers’ compensation claim against a non-unionized company. It is the employer’s job to keep you safe in the workplace, so make them live up to their responsibility.
Author Info: Hannah Whittenly is a freelance writer and mother of two from Sacramento, CA. She enjoys kayaking and reading books by the lake. You can find her on Twitter.
