Are You Eligible for Workers' Compensation?

As far as workers compensation is concerned, you probably have a basic understanding that if you get hurt at work, you can file for benefits and receive compensation for your injuries and medical bills. Unfortunately, a lot of people aren’t entirely clear on the process for getting compensated, and therefore can lose out on benefits and help.

Delaying a claim submission may also lead to ineligibility or completely missing out on benefits because the statue of limitations has passed.

Why Are So Many Workers Comp Cases Unreported?

For some workers, the very idea of reporting an injury at work can seem like more work than is worth it. Minor injuries that require a quick doctor’s visit for stitches, for instance, may seem like too small of a case to bring forth for compensation. Other people may simply be convinced that their claim will be denied, so forego the effort it would take to report the issue—for instance, if no one saw the injury, or if substantial time has passed since it occurred.

Common Workplace Injuries

There are many different injuries that are commonplace on the job, including:

· Overexertion injuries (related to pulling, pushing, lifting, carrying, and throwing activities at work).

· Slip and fall (same level surfaces, for instance slipping on a wet floor)

· Falling to a lower level (falling down stairs or off a roof/ladder)

· Being struck by or against an object

· Highway incidents or traffic accidents

· Caught in/compressed by (machinery injuries)

· Repetitive motion (typing, etc.)

· Assault/attack

Why You Need to File Your Claim

Injuries need to be reported as soon as you become aware of them, lest the employer or insurance company suspect wrongdoing or fraud. If you think your injury is relatively minor and therefore not worth submitting for compensation, as some people do, this can lead to later problems down the road.

For instance, an injury may not cause you immediate pain, but over time, it can develop into nerve damage, which can limit your potential for future earnings or cause you to develop a disability. If you choose not to file because you don’t think you are entitled to any payments, you may be surprised to find that you are entitled to some compensation, be it for lost wages, lost earning potential, medical bills and more.

Your quality of life can be greatly affected by a workplace injury, so it’s important to take care of yourself and find out if you’re eligible for compensation.

What to Do to Properly File a Claim

Finding out whether your injury is eligible for filing a claim can be as easy as getting a free consultation from a law firm. At Vasilatos Injury Law, we are dedicated to helping those in our community who need quality representation, and for that reason, we offer not only a checklist for finding out if you have a case, but also free consults.

Access your checklist here: http://www.vcinjurylaw.com/download-checklist/

Hundreds of work injuries go unreported and unclaimed in Flossmoor, Evanston and the Chicagoland area. Workers’ compensation attorneys understand the importance of fighting for compensation for injuries that occur on the job.

If you’re hurt at work, you deserve to stop worrying about medical bills, lost earnings, and medical debt, and start receiving compensation. The first step is to discuss your case!