A lot goes through your mind when you are injured at your workplace. How serious is the injury? Can I afford to pay the medical bills? How long will I be away from work?
Thinking about a workers’ compensation claim may not be the first priority. However, filing your workers’ compensation claim in a timely manner helps ensure you receive your benefits as soon as possible. You must file the claim within two years of the incident, but the sooner you file the sooner you receive your benefits.
The first thing you should do is seek treatment for the injury. The cost of your medical care should be paid for by the employer or the employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier after you file the claim. Notify your supervisor of the injured as soon as possible. If they are not notified within 30 days, you could lose the right to workers’ compensation benefits.
Filing a claim
To file your workers’ compensation claim, you will need to gather all necessary information to fill out a C-3 employee claim form. This includes:
- Contact information
- Basic employer information such as the employer name and address, your job title and all associated duties, and your gross pay rate
- How the injury happened
- Where you were and what you were doing when the injury occurred
- If you reported the injury to your employer and when
- The nature of the injury and areas of the body affected
- Whether or not you received treatment
- Whether or not you lost time from your job
This is the only form necessary to file a claim. If you need assistance gathering information for the form or fighting against any disputes in the claim, a personal injury attorney can help you.
How much will seeking workers’ compensation cost?
There is no cost to you to file a workers’ compensation claim. Your employer cannot charge you for insurance and there are no co-payments for medical care. If you decide to hire an attorney for any reason, that individual is paid from your replacement wage awards, not by you directly.
If you are injured on the job, you have the right to access care and to be compensated for your time and treatment. Filing a claim quickly can get you the financial reimbursement you need to undergo a stress-free healing process and get back to work soon.
