Workers' Compensation: Understanding the Claims Process after Injury

Serious injuries can occur in the work place due to unexpected accidents or even repetitive strain. Moreover, some workers can develop diseases as a result of exposure to dangerous elements in the work environment. If this happens to you, you will experience some significant financial losses. In other words, you will have to seek medical care, which can be expensive, depending on the severity. You might not also be able to attend work before healing, so you can lose significant wages. Therefore, you must present a claim to receive compensation for your losses from your employer. Here is an outline of the most important aspects of the workers' compensation claims process.

Register of Injury

When you sustain an injury in the workplace, it is crucial to seek immediate treatment from a qualified physician. Make certain that you keep the provided documents, such as receipts and invoices. You must also notify your employer of the pertinent disease or injury. The details of the problem will be recorded in the company's register of injuries. If your injuries are not reported in a timely manner, you might lose your rights to compensation. Therefore, if you are not able to make the records, you should have someone register the injury on your behalf.

Lodging Your Claim

The claim for workers' compensation is not made automatically after you register the illness. You must lodge the official form for your claim to be legally viable. You can obtain the form through the WorkSafe agent attached to your employer. You can also download the form from the official government website. After getting the form, outline the required details, and list all your injuries and diseases related to the claim. The filled-out document should be submitted to the employer for assessment. If you would like to claim lost wages, ensure that a Certificate of Capacity is attached. The employer will assess your claim and give a decision after twenty-eight days. During the assessment period, you might need to submit to an examination and even provide a statement.

Claim Acceptance and Review

The employer will provide notification on whether your claim has been approved or rejected. If it has been accepted, you should continue sending in the Certificates of Capacity provided by the professional in charge of your treatment or rehabilitation. Your medical receipts and invoices related to the treatment should also be sent to the employer. If your claim has been rejected and you believe the assessment was unfair, you should seek legal advice from a workers' compensation lawyer and request for case review.

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