When to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim

Most employers offer a type of insurance that’s known as workers’ compensation, which allows you to obtain benefits for an injury or illness that occurred while on the job. However, accepting these benefits usually means that you give up your right to file a lawsuit against the company. If you’ve been injured in a workplace accident and are thinking about filing a workers’ compensation claim, you might want to know more about what this process entails so that you can avoid some of the more common mistakes.

Make Sure to Notify Employer

You should always notify your employer of your injury immediately after it occurred or at least right after you’ve obtained treatment for the injury. In the state of Nevada, you must provide a written statement detailing the injury within seven days after the injury or accident occurred. Once you’ve notified your employer, they are required to provide you with a workers’ compensation claim that you can then fill out.

Keep Possible Time Limits in Mind

When it comes to workers’ compensation claims, the time limits that come with these claims are usually strict, which means that you might miss out on receiving compensation if you don’t file a claim on time. You’ll typically have 90 days after the injury took place to file a workers’ compensation claim. The insurance company that has received the claim will then have 30 days to either accept or deny your claim.

Possible Reasons a Claim Could Be Denied

There are times when the insurance company will deny a workers’ compensation claim. The most common reasons for these denials include a lack of witnesses to the injury as well as issues with filing too late. It’s also possible that a discrepancy between your medical records and your accident report could cause the claim to be denied. Any denial can be appealed. If you decide to appeal the decision, you should consider using a personal injury attorney so that you can be certain your argument is ironclad.