For as long as I can remember, the legal field has always fascinated me. While my friends watched sitcoms and cartoons, I chose to watch courtroom dramas and real life trials unfold. There was never really any question as to what I wanted to be when I got older. The only profession for me was that of a trial lawyer. Unfortunately, a serious car accident several years ago changed all that. Now, my injuries prevent me from leaving my home most days. However, my love for the law has never went away. While I may not be able to realize my dreams of becoming a trail lawyer, I still wish to help people with their legal problems. That is why I decided to start this blog. It is my hope that the information contained in these pages will help other accident victims like me when filing their personal injury claims.
When the demands and risks you face at work lead to an injury, your employer legally bears some if not all of the responsibility for the injury. After all, if you work for a roofing company and suffer a fall that leads to injury, you would not have been in the position to fall in the first place if not for the work you do. On the other hand, your employer should not be on the hook for injuries that have nothing to do with your at-work risks. Thus, when you file a claim, you need to show that your injury is do the injuries you received at work instead of some outside factor.
Pre-Existing Conditions
Some conditions such as osteoporosis, diabetes, and arthritis, can be degenerative in nature. If you have arthritic joints and then suffer an elbow injury at work, a doctor might want to repair all the damage to the joint. The claim adjusters for your employer's workman's compensation insurance will scrutinize your claim and may decrease the amount you are paid if there is a pre-existing condition. Thus, you should work with your doctor and lawyer to carefully document the damage you have received.
Timeliness
When you get injured on the job, it is important to see a doctor as soon as possible after the injury. You may think that your injury is minor and try to deal with it, but if your injury worsens over time, eventually hurting you enough or impacting your ability to work enough that you go to a doctor, it may be hard to prove that the injury you receive came from the work injury or complications that could be avoided by looking for more timely medical care.
Documentation
When you go to a doctor, you need to make sure that you keep a copy of all of the bills and paperwork that your doctor completes. Without the proper documentation, you will have a hard time substantiating your claim, which could lead to a loss of benefits.
Filing a compelling workman's compensation claim requires an understanding of how insurance adjusters look at claims, the conditions that can complicate an injury, and the factors that can play into determining the benefits you receive. At the very least, you need to understand that benefits are variable and that misrepresenting your injuries can lead to loss of coverage. If you have questions about how to prepare a claim, you should work with a lawyer like Law Office of Daniel E Goodman, LLC to help you prepare to get the best benefits possible.
Share11 November 2015
