Workplace injuries happen every day. If you’re someone who was injured at work, you might be working on a workers’ compensation case. It can be hard to know what to do if you’ve never been in this situation, but a workers compensation attorney, like from Rispoli & Borneo, can walk you through it and ensure you are fairly dealt with.
Be Careful About What You Say
The insurance company will probably contact you to give a recorded statement. You should always be careful about what you say. It’s probably best to consult your attorney beforehand so you have a list of items to discuss and not to discuss. The insurance company is not on your side. They are trying to protect their own bottom line, and will use anything you say against you. If you indicate in the slightest that your injury existed before the workplace incident, they will try to get the claim thrown out with the argument the workplace incident had nothing to do with your injuries.
Be Careful About the Documents You Sign
Many insurance companies will ask you to sign a medical release form, but you should never do that. Doing so gives the insurer access to all your medical records, all the way back to your birth. It could also give them access to your family history. An investigator for the insurance company could dig into your medical history and your family’s medical history to find reasons why the employer isn’t liable for the injuries. They could somehow tie a car accident you were in at age two to your workplace injury thirty years later. Do not sign a medical release form.
Be Careful About How You Act
Some workers’ compensation insurers will have an investigator follow you to collect evidence against you. He or she might follow you to and from medical appointments to see whether you actually go and how long the appointments last. He or she might take pictures of you going into the grocery store or carrying things from your car to your house. The investigator might speak with your neighbors or your coworkers to find out how you’ve behaved since the accident.
Because of this, it’s important you take it easy and are careful in your behavior. If you do anything that makes your injuries seem less than you claim, the insurance company will have the evidence to support it.
Contacting an Attorney
When you’re dealing with a workers’ compensation insurance company, it’s nice to have support on your side. Contact a workers’ compensation attorney today for that support.