4 Things Not To Do When You've Been Hurt At Work
When you have had an injury at work, it can seem simple to get your company to pay out a settlement claim. However, there are some mistakes you might make which can cause your settlement to be less than you expected, or in some cases, have your claim denied. Here are four things to avoid doing after you've been hurt at work.
Not Taking Notes
You might think that you'll remember everything that happened on the day of your injury. However, as time goes on and you focus on recovering, details can start to fade. Make sure that you write down as much as you can remember about what took place. That can help you build a stronger case.
Not Seeing a Doctor
If you've hurt yourself at work, the first stop you need to make is to your doctor. Your doctor's notes during your visit can serve as an official, professional record of your injuries. Not only that, but your doctor might diagnose other problems, particularly internal injuries, that you may not immediately notice.
Be sure to follow whatever treatment plan your doctor recommends. If you do not, the company's insurance company can hold that against you.
Posting about Your Injury Online
More and more often, insurance companies are using investigators to make sure that claims are legitimate. These investigators may do an internet search on you, and might come across the profiles you've set up on social media sites. You need to be careful about posting information that could hurt your case. For instance, if you're posting about going on a ski trip when you claim you hurt your back at work, they can use that against you.
In fact, it may be best if you make sure all your social media profiles are set to the most private settings. That way, prying eyes cannot see anything you are saying while your claim is being processed.
Talking to the Insurance Company Directly
After you've reported your injury to your boss, you will likely be contacted by the company's insurance company. It is better to have the insurance company deal with your work injury lawyer than to talk to them yourself. If you speak with them directly, they can use whatever you say for their own purposes. Not only that, but they may make you a settlement offer that is not an amount that you are happy with. Insist that they speak with your attorney instead.
Now that you know what actions you should avoid, you can build a strong case for your yourself. Work closely with your work injury attorney and get more ideas about how you can protect yourself and get the settlement you deserve.