Whether it’s personal pride, a misguided sense of loyalty, or a mistrust in the system, some workers suppress their pain and choose not to pursue compensation.
Workers often make a variety of mistakes in their work injury claims. The most damaging of them, though, is not pursuing compensation at all. This scenario plays out all the time, and the most common reason is that the employee adopts a damaging mindset. Below, we clear up a few of these errors and gives you tips on how to make your approach more constructive.
Never Try to “ Tough it Out”
One thing that often gets in the way is ego. When it does, employees will think that not complaining about their condition is an admirable thing to do. Unfortunately, workers’ compensation has a statute of limitations. What this means for injured workers is that if they wait too long, they will have little to no chance of receiving benefits. This situation can result in paying their own medical bills or having to quit their job because they cannot keep up with the physical nature of it.
Making a Claim Doesn’t Make You Disloyal
Another approach that workers frequently have is that making a claim is disloyal. They love their company and the people that work in it, and as a result, they think that not pursuing benefits is the right thing to do. Our first retort to this approach is that your co-workers won’t suffer from you making a claim. Every company has insurance for this purpose, and paying out benefits is a standard procedure. Second, no matter how much respect you have for an organization, you must have more for yourself. Getting the help you need is a reflection of that mindset.
The System is Here to Protect You
Some workers are inherently distrustful of regulation. They think that because workers’ compensation is a vast system with corporate and government influence, that it won’t be favorable towards them. The truth is that this system is built to protect workers, not take advantage of them.
Doctors Know What They’re Doing
Others are distrustful of the medical system. Whether they had a bad experience as a child or have fallen into misinformation later in life, they do not want to see a doctor. Unfortunately, this approach can lead to a lack of recovery or even greater damage.
Lawyers Win When You Win
The last group that employees are skeptical about are lawyers. They often think that these professionals are only in it for profit and don’t care about employees. The truth is that attorneys benefit the most when you get the best possible deal, so such concerns are not legitimate.
Whether it’s personal pride, a misguided sense of loyalty, or a mistrust in the system, workers frequently suppress their pain and choose not to pursue compensation. Unfortunately, this approach often leads to workers missing their shot at getting workers comp benefits for their injuries. To avoid this scenario, make sure you shift your mindset if you hold any of these beliefs. Next, schedule a free consultation with an experienced work injury lawyer. Give us a call 24/7 at (314) 361-4300.