Workers' Compensation Denials: What Are They About?

Hurt workers can usually use their employer's workers' compensation insurance to cover their work accidents and illnesses. This form of insurance is meant for the worker filing suit against the employer for work injuries. Most employers with a certain number of employees must carry workers' compensation insurance. However, some workers end up being denied their benefits. Read on to find out what those denials may be about.

When Too Much Time Has Passed

Many workers' compensation plans allow workers a generous amount of time to make a claim. However, the longer the worker waits to file, the more likely it will be that the claim is denied. What is that about? Workers' comp insurers must often deal with fraud. Workers may try to obtain benefits by faking or exaggerating injuries. The insurer reasonably assumes that if a worker is hurt, they should not be waiting weeks before filing a claim. If you are hurt at work, let your supervisor know about it right away. A lot can happen between an injury and waiting to file a claim and you don't want to be accused of faking anything.

When No One Else Saw Anything

Unfortunately, accidents without witnesses may fall under suspicion. The workers' compensation insurer might deny your claim if you are unable to find proof of what happened. In many workplaces, co-workers could be intimidated by management and reluctant to come forward. While many workplaces have cameras recording all the time, that footage may be difficult to locate in some cases.

When Accident Accounts Vary

It's human nature to recall details of a traumatic accident in fragments. However, the workers' compensation insurer could become suspicious of a victim that changes their story with each telling. When things like the time, location, and symptoms of an injury keep changing, those inconsistencies could make your injury appear sketchy as well.

When Your Accident Took Place Elsewhere

Workers do not necessarily need to be on the clock and at the worksite for a covered accident to occur. However, claims may be routinely denied when they occur outside the usual parameters. Workers' compensation should cover workers who are doing business for the employer regardless of the location. Travel for the company, training off campus, and client meetings are all covered.

If your claim has been denied, it will be a challenge to get things back on track. The insurer may assume that denied workers will return to work or resign and just give up. Speak to a work site accident attorney about your denied claim. You have rights, even after a denial.