Workers’ compensation claims seem simple enough to most people. If you’re injured while on the job, you get to sue your employer, right? While you can certainly file the lawsuit for that reason, it might not necessarily work out the way you want it to. There are a number of reasons workers’ compensation claims get denied that you should know about before filing yours.

No One Witnessed It

If you got hurt at work, but no one was around to see it happen, who’s to say you didn’t get injured on your own time and then tried to blame your employer? Without a witness, your employer could also claim that you got hurt by your own doing.

You Didn’t Report the Injury Right Away

Always report an injury at work as soon as possible. Not doing so could hurt your chances of winning a workers’ compensation suit. Like with the above, if you try reporting it the next day or even after going out for lunch, your employer could argue you probably got injured elsewhere and are just looking for easy money.

Medical Reports Show Drugs in Your System

After getting hurt on the job, you may need immediate medical attention which could result in having your blood drawn and tested. If these tests show you had illegal drugs in your system at the time of the accident, you can be sure that your insurance company is not going to just go ahead and pay out. Even if you weren’t affected by the drugs when the accident happened, expect an uphill climb with your lawsuit.

A Discrepancy Exists Between the Medical Records and Accident Report

Insurers will look over your workers’ compensation claims and one of the main things they’ll be interested in is any discrepancy they can find regarding descriptions of the accident.

It can be an honest mistake to tell your boss the accident happened one way and your doctor that it happened another. Unfortunately, this is a mistake that could get your claim denied.

You Filed Your Claim After Losing Your Job

This could also be an argument against waiting too long to file your claim. However, sometimes people get hurt, fill out their claim and in just a day or two get fired before they can file it. Again, you must file your claim as soon as possible. Insurers will almost always look at a claim like this and assume it’s a petty attempt at revenge. That’s not to say it will automatically get denied, but don’t expect your claim to get accepted easily.

You Don’t Have a Qualified Lawyer

While workers’ compensation claims may seem straightforward enough, filing one on your own might leave you at the mercy of the insurance company. As we’ve covered, they’re usually very interested in denying your claim. With a qualified attorney on your side, they can help mitigate any of the above issues and help you file a claim that has the best chance of succeeding.

If you’ve been hurt while on the job, contact us today.  Let our experience be to your benefit during a difficult time.  We’re here to help.