What Should I Do If I’m Injured at Work?

Workplace injuries are all too common in Oklahoma and around the country. In the event of a workplace injury, there are some important steps to follow to ensure that your medical bills, lost income and other expenses are covered by your employer’s Workers’ Compensation insurance company.

Some Workers’ Compensation insurance companies use intimidation and other tactics to deny full Workers’ Compensation benefits to injured workers. Insurance companies make money by paying out less in claims than they receive in premiums, and refusing to pay Workers’ Compensation benefits increases their profits. Often workers need to hire an Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation attorney to finally receive their deserved compensation. Here are a few steps you can take to ensure this does not happen to you.

• Report your injury to your supervisor and follow all company injury reporting and treatment procedures. This ensures that your claim cannot be denied on the grounds that you did not follow proper procedures.
• Seek medical evaluation and treatment immediately. The sooner you document your injury with a physician, the less chance there is for the insurance company to claim that your injury was not work-related.
• Speak with your employer about Workers’ Compensation procedures and complete all necessary paperwork.
• Find an experienced Workers’ Compensation attorney in your area to represent you in case your claim is not paid in full.
• Follow all your doctor’s instructions carefully and do not perform activities that your doctor restricts you from. Insurance companies have been known to videotape injured people performing restricted activities and use this as proof that the injury was not real or not as serious as claimed.

If you or a loved one has suffered a workplace injury or illness in Oklahoma and your Workers’ Compensation claim has been denied, please contact the Oklahoma Workers’ Compensation attorneys of Stipe Injury Law for a consultation on how to get the benefits you deserve.