What You Need to Know About Workers’ Compensation

Nearly everyone has heard about or experienced a work-related injury. As an employee, in order to collect workers' compensation benefits, your injuries or illness must be associated with your work or the performance of your duties. Following that, there are rules and regulations you must follow. You must report your injury or illness to the right parties at work, such as your supervisor, the Human Resources Department, or the risk-management team. Generally, you will fill out a report about the incident or illness and you should be assisted by these parties in getting the medical treatment you need. If the situation is an emergency, you should be taken to the specific doctor, clinic, or hospital that covers your employer. If you go somewhere else, your medical bills may not be covered by workers' compensation coverage.

When filling out forms at the clinic, hospital, or with the doctor to whom you are sent, be sure to inform them that your injury or illness occurred at work. You will want to ensure that your injury or illness has a complete record concerning how and where it occurred as well as all of the body parts involved. If you decide to visit your own doctor, you must make sure that he or she is able to process workers' comp claims.

Workers' compensation claims are not based on fault, so even if the accident was your own fault you should not be denied benefits. You may be denied benefits, however, if you are injured at work due to being intoxicated or drug-impaired.

Workers Compensation Attorney in Albany, New York

After a work-related injury or the development of a work-related illness, you may have many questions about the system and how it works. You also may not be fully aware of your legal rights pertaining to workers' compensation benefits. You may not understand the claims process or what is required of you to ensure that you receive the benefits you deserve.

Kirk & Teff, LLP is a workers' compensation law firm serving Albany, Kingston, and the Hudson areas. The legal team at the firm has more than 50 years of combined experience and their focus in every case is on getting results. They are there to make sure that your rights as an injured worker are protected. They can help you understand and navigate the application process. If you have been denied benefits, they can help you file an effective appeal. They have the knowledge, skills, and commitment needed to handle every aspect of workers' compensation cases, no matter how complicated. Contact the firm to get your questions answered in a free case evaluation following any work-related injury or death today.