Workers' compensation is designed to give you the money that you need to help recover from a workplace injury. You'll be out of work for several days due to an injury, which can have some big financial repercussions. Not only do you have lost wages, but medical bills related to the injury. While you may think your case is pretty clear, it is possible for a workers' compensation claim to be denied. Here are a few common reasons it can happen to you.
There Are No Witnesses
Having a witness for your workers' compensation claim can really strengthen your case since it is a necessity to ensure your case is approved. A fellow employee, a customer, or even a security camera can be a way to prove that the accident actually happened on the job. While it is not a guarantee that your claim will be denied if you do not have a witness, the reason it is so important is that your employer wants to avoid having a fraudulent claim be filed against them. Some people are dishonest and try to pass off an existing injury as something that happened on the job so that their employer will pay for the medical bills.
You Were Injured Offsite
It is important that your injury actually happened while you were performing some sort of duty pertaining to your job, even if it is offsite. Many people assume that as long as the injury is related to work that it will count for workers' compensation, such as their daily commute. It is very possible that this type of injury could be denied because the employer did not have a say in how you get to and from the job site.
Meanwhile, if you were injured while performing some task related to your job, even if it was not at work, that would count for workers' compensation. A common example is being asked to run an errand for a boss, which may fall outside your normal job responsibilities, but still be counted as a job-related task. If you got into a car accident while picking up lunch for your boss, you have a valid claim on your hands.
Navigating a workers' compensation claim denial can be confusing, which is why it is best to work with a lawyer that specializes in these types of cases. They can do their best to help ensure you receive the compensation that you deserve for your injury. Contact a workers' compensation attorney to learn more.
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