When you’re injured on the job, it is your right to make a workers’ compensation claim against your employer. This claim may help you collect up to two-thirds of your usual weekly wage and provide you with coverage for your medical bills. You may also be able to get vocational rehabilitation support so that you can return to work in a different position if going back to your previous job isn’t possible.
It’s important for you to know the steps of making a claim so that you can get fairly compensated.
How do you make a workers’ compensation claim?
The first step is to report the injury. You will need to let your employer know about the injury within 21 days. There are exceptions to the deadline, especially in the case of progressive diseases.
Once you report your injury, your employer is required to report the injury to their insurer. This will be done with a First Report of Injury form. Your employer has to report it to the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation within seven days if your injury forces you to be off work for more than a day.
From this point, the carrier has up to 21 days to state if it will accept or deny the claim. If it is denied, then you have the option of making a claim through the litigated workers’ compensation system. At this time, you may want to have legal support.
It’s also possible that the insurance carrier may issue a Notice of Temporary Compensation Payable to state that it will take up to 90 days before it accepts or denies the claim due to an ongoing investigation.
If your claim is accepted, you’ll receive a Notice of Compensation Payable. An agreement on what you’ll be paid will then be made, and you’ll be able to receive compensation.
There are various ways in which your worker’s compensation claim could become complicated. It’s valuable to look into seeking help if your claim has been denied or delayed due to an investigation. You deserve to fight for the benefits that you should be entitled to following an injury.
