If you are injured on the job you are probably entitled to having your medical treatment paid for by your employer and should be compensated for wage loss.
Contacting a workers compensation attorney should be first on your priority.
In some cases, seeking medical treatment first will not benefit your workers compensation case if you are seeking further compensation for your injury.
Retaining the advice of a workers compensation attorney is going to ensure that you will receive the maximum amount of benefits that you are entitled to when you suffer a work related injury.
In order to have your employer pay for medical treatment it is important that you are clear on how your injury at work occurred, and go through the proper channels for treatment.
Your employer may require that you see a doctor at an industrial clinic.
It is important to follow the proper procedures.
However, a second opinion from a doctor who you trust, is always a good idea.
Employers and insurance companies may make the claim that your injury is part of the aging process or simply unrelated to your work, as many injuries are of indeterminate origin.
In these cases a second opinion and documentation may be necessary in order for you to obtain your benefits.
Many employers and their insurers are not cooperative in the process of filing a workers compensation claim.
Preexisting conditions do not automatically exclude you from receiving workers compensation benefits.
In cases where a preexisting condition is aggravated by a work injury and is exacerbated to the point where a flare up means you no longer can work or work to the same extent as you were previously able, you may still be eligible for workers compensation benefits.
An attorney can better advise you on how various preexisting conditions or prior workers comp claims can impact your current case.
Work-related injuries can require short or long term care and can potentially impact the rest of your life.
You deserve good medical treatment and the chance to recover loss of income.
Immediately contacting a workers compensation attorney should be the very first step you take after an injury at work occurs.
Your actions after an injury can have an effect on the outcome of the case, so you should make sure to retain legal advice in order to protect your case and encourage the cooperation of your employer.
Some types of injuries, such as back or knee injuries, are especially difficult to prove the origin of.
For this reason, many employers will claim your injuries have nothing to do with your job, which releases them from liability.
An experienced workers compensation lawyer will know how best to proceed in these instances and how to prove with documentation that you should be entitled to compensatory wage loss benefits or disability benefits because of your work-related injury.