File for Workers’ Compensation Right Away

Employment Law News | November 6, 2019

If you were injured on the job, workers’ compensation can help you recover financially, but this depends on how soon you file for compensation. Workers’ compensation can help pay for lost wages, medical bills, and other damages related to your injury. The severity of your injury and how the injury happened at work may determine whether you receive benefits and what types of benefits you could be granted. Be sure to talk to an experienced Central New York workplace accident attorney if you have questions about this process.  

When to File for Workers’ Compensation 

The sooner you can file for workers’ compensation the better. Waiting too long to apply may result in delayed or denied benefits. Part of filing for workers’ compensation means informing your supervisor right File for Worker’s Compensation Right Awayaway about the injury you sustained at the workplace and what happened to cause your injury.  

This is where some employees find themselves at an impasse. Some people worry about what their supervisor will think when they tell them they were injured on the job. They may fear retaliation by their supervisor, but the reality is that supervisors are required by law to take your on-the-site injuries seriously. Supervisors who dismiss a severe injury could face legal troubles themselves. 

When in doubt, inform your supervisor, especially if the injury warranted a trip to the doctor or subsequent medical treatments. Not telling your supervisor within 30 days after the accident could mean no benefits at all. This could potentially mean no medical coverage for treatments related to your injury. If your supervisor retaliates or ignores your claim, consider talking to a lawyer to see what your options are.  

How Workers’ Compensation Can Help 

Workers’ compensation is only offered to employees who suffered injuries while at the workplace or during work hours. This means if you were injured in a car accident while on the job, you may qualify for personal injury compensation and worker’s compensation.  

Common benefits from workers’ compensation include medical coverage, cash benefits, and disability benefits. These all depend on the severity of your injury. Severe injuries that lead to temporary or permanent disabilities may warrant short-term or long-term disability benefits and workplace accommodations. Cash benefits are limited to how much you lost financially with lost wages while you were recovering at home or in the hospital.  

Hire a Workplace Accident Attorney in New York  

Recovering from workplace injuries and lost wages can be challenging without proper benefits to cover your expenses. Consider hiring a Syracuse personal injury lawyer if your employer failed to offer worker’s compensation benefits despite evidence that you were injured on the job. No one who qualifies for these benefits should have to go without them. Do not hesitate to take action. Waiting can make earning the compensation you deserve difficult. 

At Gattuso & Ciotoli, we offer our clients four different areas of legal practice. You can call us at (315) 314-8000 today for a free consultation. We are located in Central New York, Syracuse, Watertown, Binghamton, Syracuse, North Syracuse, Camillus, Liverpool, Cortland, and Auburn. We will work with you to defend your rights.