Workers’ Compensation
At Morgan Law Group, our Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi workers’ compensation attorneys know how important it is for workers to access the benefits they are entitled to after getting hurt at work.
Workers’ compensation laws in Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi are all designed to help provide benefits for an injured employee’s medical bills and supplement their lost wages while they recover from a work accident.
Unfortunately, the claims process can be complicated and confusing, which can lead to multiple mistakes along the way, jeopardizing an employee’s access to the benefits they may be entitled to.
Here are a few of the most common mistakes employees make when pursuing workers’ compensation benefits.
Failing to Report the Injury
Under Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi laws, workers’ compensation is a no-fault system.
This means workers are entitled to workers’ compensation benefits regardless of whether their negligence caused their injury.
If you suffer an injury at work, you should not worry about how the accident occurred, but that your employer knows it occurred right away. If your injuries allow, put the accident report in writing, and submit it to your employer immediately after the accident occurs.
If you wait to report the injury, you are more likely to have problems recovering benefits.
That is because, if there is a delay, your employer or the Florida, Louisiana, or Mississippi Workers’ Compensation Commission may doubt that the injury occurred at work — or, at the very least, downplay the severity of the injury — leaving you with less compensation than you deserve.
In all three states, you must report most injuries within 30 days. You may lose some or all your benefits if you do not notify your employer within this deadline, so do not wait.
Failing to Seek Medical Treatment
All injured workers need to know that if they do not seek medical treatment for their injuries, there is no way to prove they were hurt.
That means failing to seek treatment places you at risk of having your workers’ compensation claim denied altogether.
The purpose of workers’ compensation benefits is to help injured workers pay for their medical treatment and make up for lost income when they are unable to work. Your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance provider is not going to simply take your word for it and start paying benefits. You must prove there was an injury first, which is impossible to do without seeking medical care right after the accident occurs.
Once your injuries are diagnosed, and a treatment plan is in place, follow all doctor’s orders for the duration of your treatment, and attend all follow-up medical appointments to help keep your claim on track.
Handling Your Claim Alone
Although our states’ laws do not require employees to partner with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney, it can help you understand how the process works, without leaving any details to chance.
Our skilled workers’ compensation lawyers in Florida, Louisiana, and Mississippi will outline your claim, gather the appropriate evidence, and submit the complete and final paperwork to prove your claim while protecting your rights throughout the process.
This includes representing you during the appeals process, if necessary, or taking your claim after it has been denied. No matter where you are in the workers’ compensation process, we can help.
Contact Our Workers’ Compensation Attorneys for a Free Consultation Today
Contact our skilled Florida, Louisiana, or Mississippi workers’ compensation attorneys at Morgan Law Group to schedule a free consultation today by calling 888-904-2524 to learn how we can help you pursue the benefits you deserve, so you can get your life back.
