A bad situation can develop financially if an injury occurs while at work, especially if it is a bad one. The reason why is because work injuries often put people in a position in which they are unable to work on a short or full-term basis. Have you been dealing with such an injury that has left you unable to pay your bills and survive? If you have taken time off from work and need to heal, your employer might be responsible for providing compensation to help with your needs. This article explains how you can move forward with getting compensated by your employer for the work injury.
Promptly Contact a Workers Compensation Lawyer
The most important step that must be taken to ensure that you don't forfeit your rights to workers compensation benefits is to contact a lawyer. You can actually obtain such benefits without legal assistance, but your chance of them getting approved is better with legal assistance. A lawyer will first conduct a consultation about the injury and how your employer reacted when you needed time off from work. He or she will basically determine if your employer has a personal vendetta against you because of the injury and might deny the benefits. The reason why is because a personal vendetta can make the case more complicated, as the lawyer will have to prove it.
Don't Resign from Your Job No Matter What
During the process of the workers' compensation case, don't allow stress to lead you into quitting your job. Even if your employers threaten to terminate you for taking time off from work, don't quit on your own. The reason why is because resigning will give your employer the right to deny the workers' compensation benefits application. If he or she happens to fire you, it is possible for the lawyer to obtain money via a lawsuit. You might also be able to obtain money for other things if you are wrongfully terminated due to the work injury.
Avoid Doing Things That Can Affect Your Case
Once you have filed for workers compensation benefits, it is possible that your employer will hire a private investigator. Basically, an investigator can watch your daily activities from a distance to determine if you have a side job, or have been doing things that lead your employer to believe that you are capable of working. Keep in mind that something as minor as taking a trash bag out of your house can interfere with your workers' compensation benefits being approved. The lawyer would have to prove that there was nothing heavy in the bag that could affect your injury.
To learn more, contact a law firm like Oxner + Permar, PLLC.
