Do I Need to Prove My Injury? 5 Things to Know About Claiming Compensation

If you’ve been injured at work, you might be relying on compensation benefits to cover medical costs and the fact that you may not be fit to work for a period of time. 

 

However, it can sometimes be tough to deal with these claims. Employers might try to disprove the fact that your injury was work-related, and you might need to request insurance investigations and various other procedures in order to get through the process. 

 

Here are a few important things to know when trying to claim compensation.

 

When You Get Injured

 

Taking the correct steps at the time the injury takes place can play a vital role in whether or not your compensation claim will be fruitful. Although you might not be in the right mindset at the time, try to employ logic and rationality at this point.

 

You’ll want to call for help from a co-worker if there is anyone nearby – this person can serve as a witness to your injury. You might need to call for emergency medical treatment too and try to report your injury as soon as possible. 

 

Evidence You’ll Need 

 

If you’re conscious and not immediately taken for medical treatment when the injury occurs, do your best to gather evidence straight away: photographs and any other information you might need.

 

You could gather witness reports, time reports to prove that you were clocked in, as well as medical documents from your doctor, detailing the nature and severity of your injury. 

 

This evidence might be enough to prove your case, but your employer or the insurance company might have other defences.

 

Other Things to Prove

 

To avoid responsibility, employers or insurance companies might use any number of false accusations in order to disprove that your injury is anyone’s fault but your own. 

 

Examples of accusations could include that you were under the influence of drugs or alcohol or that you were not using equipment correctly. The more evidence you can gather against these claims, the better. Consider drug tests and any other form of proof of your competence you can manage. 

 

Follow Medical Advice

 

You might be required to provide evidence that you’ve followed medical advice in order to claim compensation. An argument might otherwise be made that you haven’t taken the injury seriously and made the effort to heal.

 

Be sure to attend all follow-up appointments and physiotherapy sessions, take prescribed medication and limit physical activity as far as possible.

 

Hire an Experienced Lawyer

 

If you anticipate issues with claiming compensation, it’s best to ensure that you’re working with an experienced lawyer that you can trust. Injury claims can be tricky to navigate and you’ll feel safer and more comfortable when you know you’re in good hands. Seek out a lawyer by looking at online reviews and asking for recommendations. 

 

Conclusion

 

Workers’ compensation can be a lifeline when you have a serious work-related injury and unexpected medical bills. Fighting for your compensation might feel like an uphill battle, but working with the right people and providing as much evidence as possible should get you to where you need to be.