3 Things That Could Cost You Your Workers Compensation Benefits

As an injured Missouri worker, it is important to avoid doing anything that would cost you your workers compensation benefits.

After being injured on the job and filing for workers compensation, you may feel that once you start receive your benefits you are in the clear. This is not the case, and if you want to ensure that those checks keep making it to your mailbox while you recover, you need to be following a few very important rules.

If during your recovery time, or at any point after a work injury, you have concerns or questions about the process you should speak with a Missouri workman’s compensation attorney. One wrong move and you could mess up your chances of being fully compensated for the financial burden of your injury.

Actions That Could Cost You Your Workers Comp Benefits

There are very strict rules in place for workman’s compensation designed to protect both you and your employer. The most commonly broken by an employee during a workman’s compensation claim in Missouri are:

• Failure to Report on Time: Don’t wait to file your claim for workers comp in Missouri. As soon as you have been injured in relation to your job you inform your immediate supervisor. Not giving them notice could potentially give them grounds to deny your benefits.

• Not Following the Doctor’s Instructions: In most cases you are going to receive treatment for a workplace injury by a physician pre-selected by your employer’s workers compensation insurance company. Unless you have a very compelling reason to change doctors, stick with the one provided to you and follow their advice on your treatment plan. If you disagree, you can change to another, but only if you request permission in writing. There is no guarantee that your employer will cover your costs if don’t follow medical advice or if you seek treatment from another physician without their expressed approval.

• Going back to work: If you decide to work for someone else during your recovery time, even if it does not affect your injury, you are risking losing your benefits. Not only that, but in some cases you could be breaking workers compensation laws. For example, it is not acceptable for a Missouri worker to collect a paycheck from a second employer while receiving temporary total disability benefits.

Collecting on a work related injury is not as simple as you may think. While the claims process may seem fairly straight forward, it becomes complicated with the introduction of billion dollar insurance companies, whose only concern is their bottom line. For this reason, any misstep on your part could easily lead to a discontinuation of your workers compensation benefits.