What to consider before claiming workers compensation

Getting injured at work can be a traumatic experience. Not only do you have the physical injury to deal with, you often have to manage time off work and the psychological stress that comes after an accident. If you’ve sustained an injury at work, you’re entitled to claim workers compensation to help cover your medical bills, lost income and associated costs. To help you get the compensation you deserve we’ve put together the top 5 things you need to know about claiming workers comp. Provide a detailed report to your doctor If you’re injured at work, the first thing you need to do is ensure you have a detailed report from a medical professional. If the injury is severe and requires an ambulance and hospital care, your team will have records of your visit. If you don’t require emergency or hospital care, go to your doctor as soon as possible and ensure you give them a detailed report of the injury. Make sure you report as much detail as you can about the accident and how it happened. It might not seem relevant at the time, but your GP might be required to provide records of your injuries, and they must have a strong, detailed report. Don’t be scared to make a claim – the law is here to help It’s a common misconception that lodging a WorkCover claim will harm your reputation or cause your employer to discriminate against you. Two key things to remember are:

• Your employer legally has to be insured to cover workplace injuries, so the compensation isn’t coming out of their pocket.
• If you do face discrimination as a result of lodging a WorkCover claim, the law will protect you and can help you as you are legally entitled to make a claim.

Lodge your claim as soon as you can Make sure you lodge your claim for WorkCover as soon as you possibly can. By getting in early you can make sure any time off work, medical expenses and associated costs are recorded. Once you lodge your claim, you’ll be required to see an independent medical practitioner who will give the relevant insurance body a report of their medical opinion. If your claim is rejected – dispute it If your initial claim is rejected, you have the right to dispute it, and in fact, you should. There are a few steps to dispute resolution.

• Your claim will go to the Accident Compensation Conciliation Service – a free service that helps resolve workers compensation disputes between workers and employers.
• If the claim is still rejected, you then have the option to go to court to dispute it.

Seek legal advice before giving up as an experienced compensation lawyer can assess the merits of your claim and help get you the compensation you need. Speak to a lawyer as soon as possible – even if your claim is accepted If you’re injured at work you may be entitled to other rights and substantial compensation beyond WorkCover. Make sure you speak to a lawyer as soon as you can to have your case assessed. They may advise your WorkCover claim is adequate, or they may tell you you can claim much more – either way it’s essential to seek legal advice. Many compensation experts offer no-win-no-fee services, so an initial consultation won’t cost you out of pocket. Need a compensation lawyer? If you’ve been injured at work and are seeking compensation, we can find the right lawyer for your needs. Our network of compensation experts are fully vetted, licenced and highly experienced. Simply fill out the Ezy Assessment today and we’ll do the rest for you.