Nearly 69% of workplace injuries and illnesses are unreported. For workers, this means no workers’ comp coverage, but do you know what that means?
In this article, we discuss the benefits of workers’ compensation and why you should file a claim after a workplace injury. Read on to get peace of mind and other benefits.
1. Protect Yourself
A mild injury may lead you to think filing a workers’ comp claim is unnecessary, but this isn’t true. You may not realize the severity of an injury initially or how it will affect you in the long term.
A seemingly harmless injury could lead to chronic pain or other complications that make doing your job difficult. Filing a claim is a way to protect yourself from financial hardship.
2. Initial Medical Care Coverage
The cost of visiting the emergency room or urgent care office after a workplace accident shouldn’t fall on an injured worker. If you file a worker’s compensation claim when you arrive, you won’t be charged.
3. Replace Lost Income
A workplace injury can mean missing work, which also means lost income. Choosing to file a claim helps replace some of this lost income. This is especially important if you’ll miss multiple days or weeks of work.
4. Coverage for Ongoing Care
When a workplace injury can’t be treated in one visit, you’ll face ongoing care expenses without workers’ compensation. One of the benefits of workers’ comp is getting coverage for additional treatments.
5. Long-Term Coverage
Depending on your injury, workers’ comp law may include coverage if you’ll be out of work in the long term. This can mean your injury left you disabled or otherwise unable to work. You’ll receive some compensation for lost work.
6. Care for Repetitive Injuries
Some injuries aren’t caused by one incident but are instead caused by years of repetitive motions or strain. Some workers assume this isn’t a qualifying event for coverage and miss out on treatments.
However, some injuries caused by long-term strain may still qualify for coverage in these cases. Choosing to file a workers’ comp claim can help you get access to care such as physical therapy or surgical repair if needed.
7. Survivor Benefits
Workers’ compensation is still important even in the event of death caused by a workplace accident. Their families are eligible for survivor benefits that include funeral expenses and other forms of compensation.
8. Peace of Mind
One of the best benefits you’ll receive from filing a worker’s comp claim is peace of mind. If you qualify, you won’t have to worry about medical bills, lost income, or whether your family will be taken care of.
Even if your claim is wrongfully denied, there are resources available to you. You can visit elrodpope.com to learn about your options.
Don’t Wait to Apply for Workers’ Comp
Workers’ comp is designed to help protect workers after a workplace injury. Even if you aren’t sure whether your injury qualifies for coverage, you won’t be sorry for your decision to file a claim.
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