When a worker is injured as a result of an on-the-job accident, they are unable to work. While some work injuries may be less serious, they may nonetheless limit a worker’s ability to perform his or her job. As a worker who has been hurt or becomes ill, you may be entitled to make a workers’ compensation claim. These benefits may be used to cover medical costs. They may also be able to reimburse a portion of your salary if you are unable to work while recovering.

While the process of filing a workers’ compensation claim may appear to be daunting, it can be broken into five simple stages:

Report Injury to Your Employer

If you are injured at the workplace, you should notify your employer once you have the chance to do so. In any case, you must notify your employer within your state’s stipulated timeframe or your access to workers’ compensation payments may be forfeited. When you notify your employer of your accident or injury, the employer is responsible for notifying the workers’ compensation insurance company. A number of injuries, such as sliding on a wet office floor and breaking an arm, or acquiring carpal tunnel syndrome as a result of repeated typing, may qualify.

Employee Guidance and Preparation

Once the injured employee has notified the employer, the employer should advise the injured employee of their rights and workers’ compensation benefits, as well as their return to work. The employee  would have to fill out a workers’ compensation claim form and return it. The nature of their injury, as well as the time, place and manner it occurred, will be detailed in this form. A first report of injury form will also be sent to the workers’ compensation board of the state. The state in which the employer and employee live, the sort of injury, and the insurer all influence which paperwork is necessary and who is responsible for completing it.

Insurance Filing

The employer is usually responsible for submitting the claim form and any supporting evidence to the workers’ compensation insurance provider, but the employee’s doctor must also provide a medical report. An employer may also be obliged to disclose the injury to the state’s workers’ compensation division or workers’ compensation board. Even if the employee is not pursuing workers’ compensation benefits, this may apply to all workplace injuries.

Approval or Denial

The insurance can either approve or refuse the claim when it is lodged. The insurer will give a notice and notify the employee with payment information after a claim is granted. At this stage, the employee and their workers comp lawyer (if they have one) can either accept the insurance company’s payout offer, which may include medical bills and disability benefits, and a percentage of lost income, or negotiate for a lump-sum or bigger structured settlement.

Unfortunately, denials sometimes happen. A denial is discouraging, but it must be confronted. Fortunately, institutions exist to preserve the rights of persons who have been refused benefits unfairly. The employee might ask for a review from the insurance company or file an appeal with the state workers’ compensation board or commission.

Return to Work

When an employee recovers from an accident and is ready to return to work, they must notify their employer and the insurance company in writing. The insurance company may be required to provide permanent disability compensation if the injury prevents the employee from returning to work.

Finally, it’s critical to get familiar with your state’s compensation regulations and to obey them. If you don’t, you might face harsh penalties.