Mistakes To Avoid When Making a Santa Ana Workers’ Compensation Claim

If you have ever tried to seek benefits through your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance coverage after becoming injured or sick at work, you will understand how complicated the process can be. Unfortunately, many people who file a claim like this without the help of an attorney discover that there are several ways in which their claim may be delayed or damaged before they can obtain the financial support they need.

The first step in avoiding errors during a workers’ comp claim is to recognize the common mistakes people make and how to prevent them. Here are some of the most important mistakes to avoid when making a Santa Ana workers’ compensation claim, which our experienced workers’ comp attorneys could help you navigate while pursuing your unique case.

Not Reporting the Injury Soon After Discovering It

Ideally, if you have suffered an injury or contracted an illness due to your working conditions, you should notify your employer about this in writing as soon as possible. However, waiting longer than 30 days to make this initial report could make it more difficult to obtain benefits through an ensuing claim and potentially halt the claims process before it even begins due to time limits set by state law. You will want to avoid this mistake when filing a workers’ compensation claim in Santa Ana.

Being Dishonest About the Cause or Severity of an Injury

Trying to mislead a claims adjuster about how a workplace accident happened or the severity of the injury in order to receive more benefits is another preventable error that a number of Santa Ana workers’ comp claimants make. Not only is this unlikely to be successful, but just one example of dishonesty within a workers’ comp claim could give an insurance company the evidence it needs to dismiss every part of the claim as a possible lie and deny it on those grounds.

Failing To Follow Doctors’ Instructions

Undoubtedly, it is vital to seek medical attention from an employer-approved physician promptly after reporting a work-related injury or illness. In addition, it is essential to avoid the mistake of starting the workers’ comp claim process in Santa Ana late. However, it is equally important to continue seeking treatment after that initial visit and to comply with all instructions for physical therapy and medication schedules your physicians give you, as failure to do so may indicate to the insurance company that the injury is not as serious and does not warrant further benefits.

Settling Too Quickly

Finally, perhaps the worst mistake to avoid during a workers’ comp claim in Santa Ana is agreeing to settle the claim too soon after treatment begins for your underlying injuries. Once a settlement agreement is formally made, you will be unable to ask for more money if your condition worsens. It is always a good idea to wait until you reach maximum medical improvement, as determined by your treating physicians, before starting settlement talks.

Call Our Santa Ana Attorneys To Help You Prevent Mistakes During a Workers’ Compensation Claim

Knowing these mistakes to avoid when making a Santa Ana workers’ compensation claim is just one step of many toward getting the best possible outcome from this type of case. Handling every other aspect of the process—as well as making sure that these and other errors do not unduly sidetrack your pursuit of benefits—will be much easier with support from skilled legal counsel.

Our capable workers’ comp lawyers could answer questions and offer preliminary guidance about the next steps to take during a confidential consultation. Call today to discuss your options.