Workers’ compensation is a complicated topic that can be difficult to navigate alone. If you are considering filing for workers’ compensation, you may have questions about the road ahead. While the following information may not answer all of your questions about workers’ compensation, we hope it gives you a better understanding of the worker’s comp process.
The first thing you should do after being injured at work is report the incident and see a doctor. Your supervisor should be able to direct you to someone who can make sure you get proper medical attention. When you do see a doctor, make sure to inform them that your injury happened at work, so they can treat it as a potential workers’ compensation case. After getting the treatment you need, you can consider filing a workers’ compensation claim by filling out Form 18 and submitting it to the North Carolina Industrial Commission.
According to the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act, your injury must have occurred “out of and in the course of” your employment. This means that, you must have been performing work duties for the benefit of your employer at the time of your injury. Under state law, the term injury does not encompass any type of disease, unless the disease occurred as a direct result of a workplace injury.
It is not always easy to tell if your injury is compensable under state laws. If you are not sure whether you have a case, consulting with an experienced attorney is a good place to start.
You should begin receiving compensation after missing seven days of work because of your injury. If you miss fewer than seven days, you will not receive compensation.
Your employer or its insurance company is required to pay medical costs associated with a work injury. They may direct you to a specific doctor, but you can petition the Industrial Commission to change physicians before receiving care if you wish.
Benefits will last until you are able to return to work, or until it can be shown that you have fully recovered from your injury.
If your workers’ compensation claim is denied, you can appeal the decision by requesting a hearing in front of the Industrial Commission. In fact, many workers’ compensation claims are initially denied, only to be accepted later on.
The truth is that you do not need a lawyer to file a workers’ compensation claim. You can access the correct forms online and submit them yourself. However, just because you don’t need an attorney doesn’t mean you wouldn’t benefit from having one on your side. Especially if your initial claim was denied, an experienced workers’ comp attorney can guide you through every step of the process, including representing you at hearings and making sure all documents are filed on time. Furthermore, an experienced attorney can help ensure your rights are protected, so you can focus on healing.