Work-related accidents and injuries can put workers in a difficult position. Many people are overwhelmed or intimidated by the process and are not sure what they need to do to collect benefits; people can also be misinformed about their legal options.
As such, it can be easy for workers to get confused and assume they can’t or shouldn’t file for workers’ compensation. In this post, we will look at a few common reasons why people might decide against seeking workers’ compensation and address a few of the misconceptions behind these reasons.
- You don’t want to get fired. People often think that reporting a work accident will cost them their jobs. This is not true. There are federal and state laws in place that prohibit employers from terminating someone for filing a workers’ compensation claim.
- You don’t think your injuries are that bad. Not all injuries are immediately serious. People might think they can (or should) cope with minor aches or pain, assuming they will go away. But injuries can get worse over time and lead to other problems. In other words, something that starts as a minor injury can become far worse without proper medical treatment. As such, workers should take all injuries seriously, report them to an employer, and seek medical attention.
- You aren’t sure if your injury is work-related. Plenty of workplace accidents lead to obvious injuries, like burns or the loss of a limb. However, injuries like back pain or certain illnesses may not develop after an isolated incident in the workplace. As such, it can be difficult to determine if the injury is actually related to work. Understand, though, that often times these types of injuries are connected to workplace accidents or conditions.
If you have been injured through the course of your employment, it is important to discuss your case with an attorney to determine whether you qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Failure to examine your options with a qualified legal representative could mean missing out on critical financial support that you are entitled to and that you require.