What Not to Do After a Workplace Injury
What you do after a workplace accident is important, but don’t forget about all of the things you must also avoid doing. Doing any of the things on this list could put your workers’ compensation claim in jeopardy and make it hard to get the benefits you’re entitled to.
Not every workers’ compensation claim goes as smoothly as it should. If your employer pushes back on filing a claim or their workers’ compensation insurance provider denies your claim, it’s time to talk to an attorney. At Pisegna & Zimmerman, we fight aggressively on behalf of every single client to help them get what they deserve. We are able to meet over Zoom for your convenience, and all documents are signed via DocuSign so you don’t have to spend time making the trip to our office. Schedule your free consultation now by calling us at 818-888-8888. As you navigate your workers’ compensation claim, avoid these big mistakes.
Wait to Report It
Some workers wait to report their injury, hoping that the pain will fade and they won’t need to involve their employer. This can seriously endanger your claim, as it’s harder for your employer to verify how, where, and when your injury happened. Even if you’re worried about your employer being upset about your injury, make it a priority to notify your supervisor immediately. They are obligated to help you with your claim and ensure that you get your benefits. If you don’t report your injury within 30 days, you may be completely unable to get compensated for it.
Hide Your Non-Work Activities
When your report your injury, the insurance company may want to talk to you about your injury and how it happened. They want to verify that the injury is valid before they pay out benefits for it. They’re likely to ask you about what you do outside of work, if you have a second job, and what hobbies you have. It’s important to be honest during your interview, even if you’re worried that the truth could hurt you. For example, if you sustained a back injury at work but you also work part-time at the grocery store, don’t try to cover up your second job. The truth always comes out eventually, and when it does, it will cast suspicion on your claim if you attempted to hide a second job or physical hobby. They’re likely to think that the other activity did cause your injury. You’re correct in thinking that they might attempt to deny the claim because of your hobby or second job, but you do have options then. A workers’ compensation lawyer can help you push back on their denial.
Exaggerate or Downplay the Injury
Going too far in either direction here can put your claim in danger. Exaggerating the injury could lead the insurance company to think that you’re making it up completely, and downplaying your injury could make them think that it isn’t serious enough to warrant medical care or time off of work. As is the case in the last tip, honesty is the best policy when communicating with workers’ compensation.
Lie About the Accident
Perhaps you were injured because of your own mistake or because you skipped an important safety check. When these factors come into play, many employees want to cover up what really happened. Even if you caused your injury through your own mistake, you are still entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. It’s important to tell the truth. Otherwise, when it comes out anyway, you risk your claim getting completely denied and having to seek additional assistance through the Division of Workers’ Compensation.
Cover Up Preexisting Conditions or Injuries
Lots of injured employees have preexisting medical conditions or injuries that can be aggravated by their work. A preexisting condition isn’t a valid reason for workers’ compensation to deny your claim, so don’t try to hide it from them. It will likely come out in your medical records from your treating physician, so you may as well be upfront. If they attempt to deny your claim because of your previous injury, you can talk to an attorney about your legal options.
Pick and Choose Your Treatments
You are expected to follow your doctor’s treatment plan and do your best to make a full recovery. If you skip appointments, do not do your physical therapy exercises, or don’t take your prescribed medications, you could be considered non-compliant.
Need Help With Your Claim? Call Pisegna & Zimmerman
Don’t let a cost-cutting workers’ compensation insurance company take advantage of you. If they try to deny your claim unfairly or cut your benefits early, let us help. We’ll advocate for you as you recover. Give us a call at 818-888-8888 or reach out online now.
William Zimmerman is an experienced Los Angeles work injury attorney at Pisegna & Zimmerman. He offers invaluable advice and assistance when dealing with the often complicated workers’ compensation system. As part of Pisgena & Zimmerman, he and his team are a full-service law firm that is dedicated to obtaining the maximum amount of compensation from all available sources.