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Top 4 Mistakes People Make After Suffering a Work Injury

Sternberg Top 4 Mistakes People Make After Suffering a Work Injury

A workplace accident can occur in almost any industry. While these injuries may be most related to jobs involving physical labor, they can also occur to office workers and others.

If you experience a work-caused injury, you may be able to recover compensation. However, to ensure your workers’ compensation claim is successful, you must avoid some of the most common mistakes.

Additionally, if you are injured at work, contact a workers’ compensation lawyer immediately to help with your claim. Learn more about the most common mistakes that occur here.

1. Failing to Report the Incident Immediately

A common mistake that injured workers make is not reporting the incident to their employer immediately. According to the law in Florida, it is required that you report any workplace accident within 30 days of when it happens. If you experience an occupational disease, you have 90 days from the first sign of the disease to report the incident.

While this is true, there are some exceptions to this rule. Even though this is the case, it is not a good idea to wait to do this. If you take too long to report the incident, your employer’s insurance carrier may question if you were really injured on the job or if the injury is as serious as you claim.

2. Not Seeking Medical Treatment

After being injured, you may believe you can work through it. As a result, you may put off seeking medical treatment. Sometimes, you may even feel anxious about going to the doctor. For some, the cost of going to the doctor may be prohibitive.

If you do not seek medical treatment or an evaluation for your injury, then (like the mistake above) the insurance company may claim you were not really injured. They may also claim that your injury was not that serious. Documentation of the injury and when it occurred will help you show that you were really injured, how severe the injury was, and ensure you get the compensation you are entitled to.

3. Failing to Disclose Past Work-Related Incidents

Another common mistake in pursuing a workers’ compensation claim is failing to disclose a past work-related injury. If you have been injured while on the job or were involved in a workplace accident, you need to disclose this.

It could be considered fraud if you fail to report these incidents. You may have your claim denied or thrown out if this accusation occurs.

When you first request compensation for a workplace accident, you will probably be asked if you have ever been hurt or involved in an accident. When you are being evaluated, you will have to fill out a medical history form, which is likely where the question will first appear. Be sure you answer honestly.

Your case manager or claims adjuster will also ask about any injuries in most situations. Disclosing this information is a must. While you may be worried this will hurt your current claim, the situation’s outcome will probably be worse if you fail to answer honestly.

4. Failing to Receive Treatment for All Related Injuries

You may go to the doctor if you are injured on the job. However, you may not disclose all your injuries or seek treatment for them.

One example of this is if you fall at work. In this case, you may have a herniated disc. However, you may also have knee pain. In this case, your back pain may be so severe that you do not mention your knee pain. After successful treatment for your back, your knee may still hurt or have worsened. You may even discover a more serious injury occurred during your fall.

If you do not disclose all your pain and injuries from the start, you may not be able to recover compensation for them down the road. Let your doctor know about all the aches and pains you have to ensure they are included in your workers’ compensation claim.

Contact Our Work Injury Lawyer for Assistance

If you are injured on the job, it is up to you to protect your right to receive compensation. At Sternberg | Forsythe, PA, we will provide the legal assistance, guidance, and representation that you need to ensure you receive the benefits you are entitled to.

The first step is to contact our office to schedule a free initial consultation. During this meeting, we will review the facts of your case to help determine the best way to move forward.

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