Safeguard your right to Missouri workers compensation benefits.
Anyone who is injured at the workplace in Kansas City is entitled to workers compensation benefits. Workers’ compensation covers all injury-related medical bills and provides compensation for the workdays you have to miss because of the injury. To safeguard your right to workers’ compensation, you must avoid taking certain actions.
Do Not Delay
There are certain things that you can do to receive your workers’ compensation benefits quickly. The injured worker must never delay in notifying the employer or supervisor about the injury. Do not delay seeking medical attention for the injuries or filing a workers’ compensation claim. If you have suffered a serious or permanent injury that may affect your ability to return to work, you should not delay in getting legal help.
Talking to the Insurance Company
It is important for every injured employee to realize that the insurance company does not work for the best interest of the employee. Never give a recorded statement to the insurance company. The safest thing to do is hire an experienced Kansas City workers compensation lawyer to speak with the insurer on your behalf.
Beware of Unwanted Advice
When it comes to legal matters such as those pertaining to workers’ compensation, one should avoid advice from anyone, even from family and friends. Even if the person has been through the workers’ compensation process and you think that the person knows the subject, do not completely rely on this advice. This is important because circumstances surrounding every work-related injury are unique and may not be treated similarly by the law. If you need advice, seek it from a knowledgeable lawyer.
Avoid Incompetent Lawyers
It is best not to get trapped with the wrong lawyer. Avoid a lawyer who makes promises that seem too good to be true. If you are told at the first meeting that you will surely get a certain amount as compensation then you should be wary, because it is hard to predict this at the beginning. To compute the claim amount, the lawyer would need to consider various factors such as details of the injury, nature of the accident, details of the job, and likely recovery, and most of these factors cannot be predicted at the onset.
Follow the Doctor’s Orders
When you are being treated for your work-related injury, your doctor will suggest some work restrictions. Make sure you follow these restrictions. This is important because if you do not follow these instructions, you may aggravate the existing injury or get another injury. This may jeopardize your workers’ compensation claim. If you do something that aggravates the injury, the insurance company can deny or stop the benefits.
If you need help negotiating your claim with the insurance company, you should immediately consult with The Law Office of James M. Hoffmann at (816) 399-3706.