If your workers’ compensation claim has been denied, there are some steps you can take to appeal that decision. In general, if you’re hurt at work and are the employee of the business, you should be covered by workers’ compensation insurance. Applying for benefits after an injury helps make sure that you can get the medical care you need to get back to work quickly or to recover from an injury. If you are disabled after the injury, workers’ compensation provides other benefits to you, like paying some of your wages.
What are some reasons that workers’ compensation claims could be denied?
One is that the injury was not reported in time. There are limits on how long you can wait to report an injury. File a claim before that time frame runs out by reporting your injury within a couple of days of the incident.
Another reason your claim might be denied is if your injury is not compensable. For example, if you have suffered a stress-related injury, then you can’t claim for it without reasonable proof that it was caused by your workplace. It can be difficult unless your state specifically covers stress-related incidents, but your attorney can help you build a case for it.
In most cases, you must seek medical treatment to receive workers’ compensation benefits. If you did not seek medical help, there is nothing that you can be compensated for as far as medical bills go.
Finally, you need to show that your injury is work-related. This isn’t always clear-cut, and if there is a question over whether it is a work-related injury, your claim could be denied until you can provide more evidence.
Source: FindLaw, “Workers’ Comp Denied? Here Are Your Next Steps,” accessed Nov. 03, 2016
