If you work in a particularly high-risk profession, for example, if you are a construction worker, you have a significant risk of becoming injured at work at some point in your career. If you do become injured, you may not be able to continue earning an income during the time it takes for you to recover.
In addition, you will likely be subject to medical bills that will continue to affect your financial situation. This is why workers’ compensation is in place for the majority of workers in the United States. It makes it possible for injured workers to gain back out-of-pocket expenses that resulted from their injury.
However, unfortunately, some people who have been injured in the workplace make a workers’ compensation claim only to have it denied. If you are feeling confused about why your workers’ compensation claim was denied, the following are some common reasons why denials are made.
There is a lack of proof that the incident took place at work
Any witnesses to the accident will be able to assist in verifying aspects of your claim. If there is no solid proof that you suffered an injury while performing work-related activities, you may struggle to successfully make a workers’ compensation claim, because theoretically, the incident could have taken place anywhere.
You did not take action early enough
You should report an injury to your employer as soon as you can. At the very least, report the injury to your employer within 30 days of the incident. If you wait longer than this, you may not be eligible to make a workers’ compensation claim.
Your employer or workers’ compensation insurer is being uncooperative
In some cases, your employer may be resistant to help you to claim workers’ compensation. This may be because they don’t want to face an increase in insurance premiums. They or their workers’ compensation insurer may try to find loopholes to stop you from making a claim.
It is important that you fight for your right to claim workers’ compensation if you have suffered financial damages after a work injury. By equipping yourself with the necessary knowledge before taking action, you will be able to act with confidence.