If you were injured at your job, you likely have grounds to file a lawsuit. Were you injured on the job in Adelanto, California or surrounding areas? If so, it is important that you reach out to an experienced lawyer as soon as possible. Unfortunately, many injured workers make mistakes when trying to obtain workers compensation benefits. These mistakes, even the most minor, can delay the workers comp process and can even lead to claims being denied entirely.
After an accident at work, it is important that you act appropriately to ensure that you can get the appropriate benefits. Here at the California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group, we have decades of experience and are fully committed to helping injured workers exercise their rights under employment law and workers compensation law.
Below, we will review some of the most common mistakes that injured workers make.
Summary of Common Mistakes
Although filing a workers’ compensation claim should be a straightforward process, many injured employees experience delays due to avoidable mistakes. Understanding these common mistakes can help workers avoid them, ultimately protecting their right to receive benefits.
Som of the most common mistakes include the following:
- Delaying the initial injury report: one of the most frequent mistakes is waiting too long to report a workplace injury. In California, workers must notify their employers of their injury as soon as possible. Delays in reporting the injury can raise doubts about whether the injury is work-related, which can slow down or jeopardize the claim.
- Incomplete/incorrect claim forms: missing information, incorrect dates, or even unclear descriptions of the injury/incident can lead to additional information requests from the insurance provider. If the form is completed accurately from the start, unnecessary back-and-forth is avoided.
- Not seeking prompt medical care for the injury: failing to get treatment right away can significantly delay claims. Insurance providers rely on medical records to evaluate these claims. Waiting too long to see a doctor and get care can make it more difficult to connect the injury to the workplace.
- Ignoring employer/insurer requests: under some circumstances, the employer or the insurance provider will request additional documents or medical evaluations. Ignoring any requests or missing submission deadlines can slow the process down. To keep claims on track, claimants should always respond to additional requests.
- Returning to work too soon: some workers return to soon, before they are medically clear to work again. In general, this is because workers want to avoid or reduce their lost wages. Instead, returning to work too soon complicates the claim and can lead to confusion about the severity of the injury, leading to delays/disputes.
Will My Claim Fail if I Make a Mistake?
Unfortunately, mistakes can negatively impact claims. In addition to delaying the claim process, when even minor mistakes go unresolved, injured workers may not be able to obtain their workers compensation benefits. With the help of an experienced workers compensation lawyer, however, it is possible to remedy these mistakes. Even if there were issues or mistakes early on, your lawyer can take action to ensure that you can still obtain your benefits.
It is also strongly recommended to have a lawyer from the start, as having a lawyer overseeing your claim from the beginning can reduce the chances of certain mistakes happening.
Contact the California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group Today
If you suffered a workplace injury in Adelanto, California or surrounding areas, it is important that you understand that you could have the right to pursue a workers compensation claim. Even if you have made a mistake when filling out a form or at any point during the process, an experienced Adelanto workers compensation lawyer may be able to help you still obtain benefits after an accident on the job.
Here at the California Labor Law Employment Attorneys Group, we have decades of experience and are committed to remaining accessible as possible to all Adelanto employees. We offer free case reviews, which include free consultations and free second opinions. During these free legal services, our team will be available to answer all your questions, address all your concerns, and provide you with all the information that you need to begin or continue your claim. To schedule a free case review, contact our team today.
Garantía de tarifa cero: you will not be responsible for paying any upfront legal costs for any of our legal services. In addition, our firm works on a strict contingency structure, meaning that our clients are not responsible for paying legal fees if their claims are not successful. If you do not win, you will not pay anything at all.
Contact our firm today to learn more about how we can help you!
