If you have been injured on the job, you could be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation can help towards the cost of your medical treatment and ensure you receive the rehabilitation you need for a full recovery. Your employee will have insurance that will cover your treatment.
There are a number of steps you must take to ensure your legal rights to workers’ compensation benefits are protected.
Report It
It is very important to notify your employer about an injury at work and the way in which it occurred. Sometimes, there are deadlines associated with when you can report an accident or injury. Not addressing the issue for too long may cause you to lose your rights to workers’ compensation benefits. Some injuries may not be noticeable straight away but may get worse over time. Any injuries, even if they have delayed symptoms, should be reported as soon as possible.
Work-related injuries include anything that causes bodily harm while carrying out your required work duties. Some injuries may not be the result of an accident but could be a work-related injury, such as a repetitive motion injury (carpal tunnel syndrome from typing), stress-related digestive disorder, or breathing problems related to exposure to fumes while on the job. If you feel your injury is a result of your job, you should report it to your employer as you could be entitled to workers’ compensation.
Get Immediate Medical Attention
Depending on the type of injury suffered, you should access the appropriate level of treatment straight away. This could mean going to an emergency room, or if the injury is not as serious, visiting urgent care or primary care physician. You should always check with your employer if they require you to see a particular doctor or if you can choose the doctor you want on your own. Some workers’ compensation boards require specific or approved health care providers, and you may not be protected by workers’ compensation if you see your own doctor.
Injury Accident Report Claim
You must notify your employer in writing within 30 days of an injury in order to claim workers’ compensation benefits. Your employer should have the official compensation claim form, where you will need to fill out the employee section. The form will ask you various details about your injury, such as:
- How the injury occurred
- Whether any other parties were involved
- The nature of the injury and which parts of the body were affected
- Date, time, and the location where the injury happened
- What medical treatment you require or have undergone
Ensure you keep a copy of the form for your own records. Your employer should then fill out the employer section of the form and forward the claim to the claims board as soon as possible. The claims process will then begin. You may be required to attend an independent medical examination for further assessment.
Depending on the severity of the injury, you may be entitled to more than compensation for your medical expenses, such as ongoing rehabilitation and therapy, loss of earnings, or trauma counseling – all of which may be covered.
WorkPartners Occupational Health in Grand Junction, Colorado
At WorkPartners Occupational Health, we offer quality workers’ compensation and injury care services for job-related injuries and illnesses including comprehensive physical rehabilitation based on individualized treatment plans.
If you would like to learn more about our services or to schedule a consultation with one of our providers, contact us today at (970) 241-5585 or use our secure online appointment request form.
