How to File a Workers’ Compensation Claim

If you suffered from a work-related injury, you deserve compensation to help you cope with your hardship. Private industry employers reported about 6,900 non-fatal work-related injuries and illnesses in Vermont during the year 2021. Fortunately, there are laws that grant monetary benefits as compensation to qualifying workers. 

Benefits include payment for medical care, lost wages, and medical and vocational rehabilitation assistance wherever it is necessary. Even as an employee, if you bear some responsibility for the injury yourself, you may still be entitled to workers’ compensation benefits. 

Every worker’s compensation case is different, and compensation varies based on numerous factors such as the type of injury or illness, severity and number of injuries, whether the injury prevents you from returning to work and for how long it does, medical evaluation, your previous wage, your legal representation, and so on. Thus, it is necessary to hire a Castleton VT Workers Compensation Attorney to get you fair compensation for your economic losses.

Note that these laws do not cover non-economic factors such as pain and suffering. Now, when it comes to filing a compensation claim, the process generally involves these essential steps:

• Inform your employer.

It is important to report the injury to your employer immediately. If not immediately, report it as soon as you can because if you fail to report it within 30 days from the date of injury, it could potentially jeopardize your claim and weaken it.

• Fill out the claim form.

After you report it, your employer should provide you with the essential forms to start the claim process. Thoroughly read it and fill it with the utmost precision, mentioning every detail necessary.

• You need to go through a medical evaluation.

A proper medical evaluation and inspection will be required of you in order to assess the severity of your injury and its relation to your job. Make sure to provide them with every detail truthfully.

• Submission of your claim.

Now, all your claim forms and documented medical records ought to be submitted to the state agency that is responsible for overseeing workers’ compensation or to the compensation insurer.

• Review of your claim.

Once your claim is submitted, the insurer will review it and decide its validity. This decision will eventually lead to either denial or approval of your compensation claim.

Why do you need to hire an attorney?

These workers’ compensation cases can get complicated at times, and thus, you need a competent professional attorney to assess and guide you throughout your claim process in order to get you the compensation that you rightfully deserve. They are familiar with such cases and possess the required technical knowledge.