Avoiding Common Mistakes With Your Orange County Workers’ Compensation Claim
When you are injured on the job, California workers’ compensation law is on your side. If you have to miss work for an extended period or perform limited duties as the result of a workplace injury, you can get coverage from your employer and their insurance provider for your lost wages, medical bills, etc. But these benefits will only be provided if you handle your claim correctly. Employers and insurance companies are often looking for any excuse to deny workers’ compensation benefits in order to save themselves the costs. A skilled and experienced Orange & Ontario workers’ compensation attorney can help you bring your claim for workers’ compensation benefits in Orange County or the Inland Empire. Your Southern California workers’ compensation lawyer can make sure that you avoid the common pitfalls that can destroy your claim and leave you without coverage just when you need it the most.
Seek medical attention and follow your doctor’s orders
If you have been injured, you need medical attention, and you need to get it as soon as possible. You need to ensure that you are treated for any obvious injuries as well as examined for any latent injuries that may not be readily apparent. You could have a concussion, internal fractures or bleeding, or other hard-to-spot ailments that can become worse over time. In addition to making sure that you do not inadvertently cause more long-term medical problems for yourself, seeing a doctor promptly will ensure that you have the proper medical documentation connecting your injuries to your accident. The longer you delay visiting the doctor, the more likely it is that someone will try to argue that your injuries were not caused by your workplace accident and thus should not be covered by workers’ compensation.
Further, when you have a course of treatment prescribed by your doctor, follow through on their instructions. Your doctor knows what is medically best for you, and ignoring their advice can exacerbate your injuries down the line. If your injuries are made worse by your own actions or inaction, workers’ compensation may not cover you for your worsened condition. You do not want to cause yourself more pain, suffering, and disability, while simultaneously ensuring that you are not covered by insurance for those problems.
Report your injury as soon as possible
When you are injured on the job, it is essential that you report the incident as soon as possible. Workers may be afraid of reporting an accident, especially when they or a coworker were at fault. Do not worry about getting in trouble; worry about being covered if you cannot work. Workers’ compensation is a no-fault benefits system, meaning that you will be covered even if you caused the accident so long as it happened in the course of performing your duties on the job. If you do not report an injury in a timely fashion and get the workers’ compensation process started, then your eventual claim may be denied by your employer or the insurance company. Without coverage, you may be out of work and out of luck. Talk to an experienced workers’ compensation lawyer to get the process started, and let them advise you regarding any concerns over fault.
Do not downplay your injury
No one wants to be seen as the person who complains. We do not want to be considered a burden at work or to our friends. Workers may even be afraid that showing the severity of an injury will make them look incapable of performing their duties, putting their job security at risk. If you were injured on the job, it is vital that you curb those instincts. If you are in constant pain, have limited functionality, or are unable to perform some or all of your duties as a result of an injury you sustained on the job, you need to report these maladies. Workers’ compensation will cover you if you have to adjust your work life or take leave due to the injury. If you try to hide your injury and the injury gets worse, it becomes much more difficult down the line to argue that the injury stemmed from the original workplace accident and should be covered by your workers’ compensation. The law will protect you if you are honest from the get-go. Your dedicated Orange County workers’ compensation lawyer will make sure of it.
Get a lawyer
You can technically file a workers’ compensation claim on your own. You can gather all of the medical documents, the evidence related to the accident, the witness statements, etc. You can represent yourself throughout the workers’ compensation process and, if your claims are denied, you can even represent yourself through the appeals process.< But, keep in mind that California’s workers’ compensation law and procedures can be incredibly complex, especially for someone who has no experience with either California legal procedures or workers’ compensation claims. A skilled and compassionate workers’ compensation lawyer can help you through the process, making sure that your claim is fully supported and maximizing your available coverage. Your employer and the insurance companies will have lawyers on their side working to limit your coverage or deny your claims where they are able. They will have experience on their side, they will know the procedures, they will know the laws, and they will know the loopholes available to minimize the amount they have to pay. Why shouldn’t you have a dedicated workers’ compensation lawyer in your corner fighting on your behalf?
Southern California Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
If you need effective and aggressive legal help with a claim for workers’ compensation benefits in southern California, contact the Orange County and Inland Empire offices of Invictus Law for a free consultation at 949-287-5711.
