Workers’ compensation insurance companies can sometimes be incredibly difficult about paying claims. As benevolent as their business may sound, they are businesses designed with one primary goal in mind: to generate profits for their shareholders.
If you need to put in a claim after getting injured at work, then it is important to understand some of the reasons an insurer might give to try to deny your claim. Here are a few they use:
1. You missed the deadlines
Workers’ comp claims have several deadlines you need to meet. For instance, you need to report your incident to your employer within a certain time frame, usually 14 days, and ensure your claim is filed with the insurer before another deadline (two years). Further deadliness can arise in some cases, such as if you need to contest a denial.
2. Your injury or illness is not work-related
You call in sick due to back pain. You soon believe it will keep you off work for some time, so you file a workers’ comp claim, believing it to be related to lifting, postures or movements at work. The insurer may notice you play a contact sport each weekend and claim that this is what caused the back pain — not your work.
3. Your paperwork was incorrect or insufficient
Even a simple paperwork error could result in the rejection of the form or denial of the claim. Similarly, failing to gather and present enough evidence (or the right sort of evidence), could be taken as a chance to say no to you by the insurer.
Workers’ compensation insurers are not your friend when you get injured or ill at work. That is why it is often wise to take experienced legal guidance to boost your chances of getting the compensation you deserve