Three Things You Should Know About Workers Compensation After A Serious Injury On The Job
If you have been hurt at work, you will likely be filing a workers compensation claim. For many workers, this will be routine, and it will be routine for the claims adjuster. But when the injury is serious and will mean months of missed work and high medical bills, you will need an attorney. The following are a few things you should know before you have a chance to contact an attorney.
You should never sign any documents nor give a recorded statement
If your accident was serious enough, a claims adjuster may show up at the hospital as soon as you can give a statement. Although you are expected to explain what happened, there is no law that requires your statement to be recorded. You can answer basic questions about the incident, but do not agree to have your statement recorded. Never sign any documents. A claims adjuster may write down what you say and want you to sign one or more documents. Never sign anything until an attorney has a chance to review it.
Don't answer questions that are not related to the accident.
You are not obligated to answer any questions that do not relate directly to the accident. Claims adjusters will attempt to find out information that can be used against you to reduce the compensation you are entitled to. For example, they may ask questions about your family history, so at a later time they can claim that part of the issue is related to a genetic predisposition, or they may ask about your finances in an effort to show that your injuries are exaggerated and you only want a big payout because you need the money or you're greedy.
Your case can be hurt by hiding pre-existing conditions
This is usually not necessary in the emergency room. However, if you go to a walk-in emergency clinic you may want to mention this. The reason is that although any pre-existing medical problem will not be covered by a workers compensation claim, if your condition was aggravated by it, then the insurance will cover it. So you want to be honest about any pre-existing conditions you have, so a doctor will be able to determine if your work injury made it worse. If you're not honest about this, it makes it more difficult to get compensation.
A claims adjuster will contact you quickly after a work accident. Although you are expected to provide a statement, you only have to speak about the accident, and you should never allow your statement to be recorded. Never sign any documents, and be honest about pre-existing conditions. Always consult with an attorney after an serious accident at work. Learn more about workers comp claims today.
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