If you’re injured in the workplace, you want to take the appropriate steps to ensure you get the compensation you deserve while you work your way back from injury. Getting injury compensation is pretty straightforward if you have an injury lawyer by your side to help you navigate the process, but far too often we encounter situations where individuals without a lawyer end up tanking their injury claim on accident. But what are these people doing to accidentally sabotage their own injury claim? We explore the most common ways that workers tank their own injury claim in today’s blog.
Avoid These Mistakes When Seeking Workers’ Compensation
Nobody sets out to intentionally self-sabotage their own injury claim, but thousands of people end up being their own worst enemy each year. Here’s how many injured workers unintentionally sabotage themselves during their quest for compensation after a work injury.
1. Not Following Restrictions– You need to follow your doctor’s orders. If you disagree with their assessment or their treatment recommendations, take it up with their office, but never intentionally disregard their recommendations. If the insurance company catches wind that you are stepping outside of medical advice, they may determine that you are not operating in good faith, and that is grounds to terminate an injury award. Don’t show up to work or try to work a side job while collecting injury compensation if it goes against your current medical restrictions.
2. Oversharing On Social Media– We understand that you may want to keep loved ones updated on your injury and your recovery process, but you need to treat everything that you post on social media as if you are sharing it directly with the insurance company. If there’s any chance at all that a social media post could be misinterpreted or misrepresent your current injury status, don’t share it. We always recommend that our clients avoid posting anything regarding their injury, recovery or claim status online until the case is fully resolved. Anything that can be used against you will be used against you by the insurance company, so post carefully!
3. Missing Doctor Appointments– We understand that you may not want to head in for a follow-up visit or attend every one of your physical therapy appointments, but you need to in order to keep collecting injury payments. If you need to reschedule or change an appointment last minute, reach out to your doctor’s office and inform them of the issue. The same holds true in the event you unexpectedly miss an appointment. The insurance company is looking for any reason to stop making payments on your claim, and if they feel that you are not putting in the effort to recover, they could terminate your claim. Attend all of your medical appointments throughout the duration of your recovery.
4. Missed Deadlines/Incomplete Forms– Finally, the workers’ compensation collection process can be complex, and if you unknowingly miss a deadline or fail to fill out a form properly, it can end up tanking your claim. The simplest way to avoid issues with deadlines or form submissions is by working with a lawyer who will handle all the paperwork for you. We know the deadlines you need to meet and can ensure everything is filled out timely and completely. Don’t let a paperwork issue sabotage your claim. Instead, let the team at Hey Workers get you every penny you deserve.
Avoid these potential issues and trust your case to the team at Hey Workers, and you should be able to secure your compensation award following a work injury. For more information, or for assistance with your injury claim, give the team at Hey Workers a call today at (844) 439-9675.
