All employers must carry workers compensation insurance to provide their employees who are injured on the job a way to get reimbursed for medical expenses, recovery and rehabilitation costs, and lost wages.  The laws governing workers comp plans vary from state to state and can be quite complicated.  There is a very precise order in which you must submit claim forms, and if you make any missteps along the way, you risk having your claim denied by the insurance company.  Insurance companies are in business to turn a profit, and when a work accident claim is filed, the profits go down.  Therefore, insurance companies fight claims whenever they see a possible error in the claim submission process.

When you are injured or become ill as a result of an incident in the workplace, notify your employer immediately.  In most states, there is a time limit set for how long after the injury you can make a work accident claim.  Also, you don’t want to allow the insurance company any reason to make the argument that your injury could have occurred outside of your employment site. 

Be sure that when you seek treatment for your injury, it is under the supervision of a medical provider or facility that is approved by your employer’s workers comp plan.  Unless, it is an emergency, your claim could be denied for not following proper procedures. Your employer is required to supply you with a list of approved providers in your area.  After you receive initial treatment for your injury, your next step should be to contact a reputable lawyer.  A lawyer will be able to help you through the steps of filing a work accident claim.

When you are in need of a lawyer, you don’t want to just open up the phone book and blindly pick a number.  You should ask friends, neighbors, family, co-workers, and other trusted acquaintances for referrals.  Make a list of the names you are given to see if one lawyer stands out among the recommendations.  When you contact lawyers on your referral list, make sure they specialize in representing clients who need to submit a work accident claim.  If not, ask the lawyer to refer you to a colleague who does have experience in this arena.  You can also find online tools to help you locate lawyers in your area that concentrate in dealing with workers comp regulations.