If you get injured as the result of a workplace accident or you acquire an occupational illness, workers’ compensation disability benefits are available to help.
Benefits include wage replacement and medical treatment. Vocational rehabilitation is an additional benefit if you are unable to return to your previous position due to the injury. Because these benefits can be costly, insurers and employers will look for reasons to deny your workers’ compensation claims. Some denials may be legitimate while others are unfair.
Incomplete report or documentation
There are many steps you must follow to receive workers’ compensation disability benefits.
- Promptly report the workplace accident to your employer
- Describe the accident in detail
- Provide medical documentation of the injury
- Follow through with all recommended medical treatment
- Provide records of continuing medical treatment
- Tell your employer about work restrictions
If you fail to take one of these steps or make an error in doing so, you may receive a denial of benefits.
Pre-existing condition
If you have a pre-existing injury or prior medical condition, insurers will often use it as a reason to deny your claim. However, if an accident at work worsened or aggravated your pre-existing injury or prior medical condition, you can still claim benefits. If the worsening pain or impairment was work-related, it does not matter that the pre-existing injury was not work-related.
Injuries that qualify to receive workers’ compensation benefits include both physical and psychological injuries. Traumatic injuries, repetitive injuries, occupational diseases and post-traumatic stress disorder all qualify as covered work-related injuries if caused or worsened by a workplace accident.