It is an unfortunate fact that some companies will take their time when dealing with workers’ compensation claims, and that can have a big impact on an employee’s quality of life. If your employer is stalling on your workers’ comp, then there are a few steps that you can take to quickly get the compensation that you deserve.
Contact the HR Department
Whenever an injury takes place while you are working, you should always contact the HR department within a day or two. Failing to contact that department could have a big impact on what type of compensation you receive, and most companies have very strict rules regarding injury reports. While you are speaking with the HR department, you only need to give them basic information on what caused the injury.
Collect Information
After the injury occurs, you should also spend a little bit of time collecting as much information as you can about the event. That includes where the accident occurred, who witnessed the incident, and what type of medical treatments you received. Writing all of that information down is going to make your life much easier if you need to take the company to court to receive fair compensation. You should also save all of the information that you collect in multiple locations so that it isn’t lost or accidentally discarded.
File a Claim
Another important step in this process is filing a claim with the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Workers’ Compensation. When you are filing your claim, you must only fill out the employee section, and all information that is submitted should be as truthful and accurate as possible. Once the claim has been filed, your employer will need to respond within a relatively quick window of time, and that means your compensation should come much quicker.
Consult With an Attorney
No matter what steps you take to receive compensation, there may come a point when you need to consult with a legal professional. An experienced work site accident attorney will be able to guide you through all of these steps so that you can continue to focus on your health and recovery. They will also be able to create a solid case if the workers’ compensation battle ends up in court.
When it comes to workplace injuries, employees should always err on the side of caution. Immediately seeking out medical and legal assistance will put you in the best position to receive fair compensation as quickly as possible.