In some cases, workers’ compensation claims are straightforward. The employee reports the incident, sees a doctor and makes use of their benefits. Other times, the process can be much more complex and contentious.
There may be questions about whether they actually got hurt on the job. There might be a disagreement about the best way to treat the worker’s injuries. In contentious workers’ compensation claim scenarios, workers may have to fight an uphill battle. Even those with seemingly straightforward claims usually need to be careful to avoid mistakes that could harm their eligibility for benefits, including the following.
Oversharing on social media
Many people turn to their preferred social media platform to communicate about their lives and connect with support. Sharing the circumstances surrounding a work injury and possibly even details about a benefits claim may seem reasonable to an injured employee. However, whatever they share online could end up used against them later. Even unrelated posts celebrating personal milestones could serve as evidence that an individual may not have serious enough injuries to warrant the benefits that they have requested.
Refusing to follow medical instructions
Frequently, injured patients have questions about a doctor’s recommendations. They may not like the side effects of certain medications. Other times, they may question whether physical therapy is likely to have a significant impact on their symptoms. It is common for patients to ignore medical recommendations, but doing so can impact a claim. Employees receiving workers’ compensation benefits could endanger their right to ongoing care and disability benefits if they do not follow medical instructions. In cases where a worker’s non-compliance with medical instructions prevents them from recovering, that could affect their eligibility for benefits.
Giving up instead of fighting back
Sometimes, workers face challenges on the path to workers’ compensation benefits. They have to appeal an unfavorable decision, undergo specialized testing or request a second opinion because of concerns about a treatment plan. All too often, workers simply give up and decide not to pursue their claims. They may then end up shouldering the costs associated with their medical treatment and lost income.
Having support while pursuing workers’ compensation benefits and dealing with challenges can be beneficial for injured employees. Workers with help can focus on recovering and getting back to work instead of learning the ins and outs of how workers’ compensation functions.