Here’s why you may want to consider at least speaking with an experienced attorney if you’ve experienced what you consider a “minor” injury at work.
Not all workerโs compensation cases will end with clashes between you, the employer, and the insurance company. Some cases can be pretty straightforward, and everyone involved moves to quickly resolve it.
Such is the impression of “minor” injuries. Minor injuries require minimal medical attention in most peopleโs minds, and when the payoff is low, thereโs no point in people fighting back, right?
However, here’s why you may want to consider at least speaking with an experienced attorney if you’ve experienced what you consider a “minor” injury at work.
Minor Injuries Can Create Big Bills
American healthcare is expensive, and though you may have good health insurance, the policy likely wonโt cover injuries sustained at work, since Missouri has another program dedicated to these types of injuries or illnesses: workerโs compensation.
Treatment for minor injuries may be too expensive for workers to cover out of pocket, so they will generally need these benefits to get medical treatment.
The only person who can determine whether your injury is minor or not is a doctor. From the outside, or based on how you are feeling, you may consider your injury to be minor. However, you may simply be looking at whatโs on the surface. Once a doctor tests you, their diagnosis may indicate something bigger going on.
Even if the injury isnโt severe, you still may have other costs attached to it, which workerโs compensation benefits should cover. For instance, lost wages, which you receive if you need to take time off in order to recover.
Why Speak With an Experienced Attorney?
Minor or otherwise, itโs best to have legal representation. When you file a workplace injury claim, the insurance company will look into your case, no matter the severity of your injury.
They do it to find out if your injury is indeed work-related, and therefore eligible for compensation, or if itโs caused by something outside of work. An insurance adjuster will be given your case, and they will look at your claim, talk to coworkers, and analyze any other evidence available to determine if they approve your treatment or not.
This can be quite problematic because you never know what the insurance company will find, and how theyโll use it to deny your claim or lower your benefits. If you work with a lawyer, you have the reassurance that your rights are protected throughout the entire process, as they will build their own case to argue in your favor.
Working is also a way to prevent any mistakes in awarding the benefits you are entitled to, from covering all your medical bills to making sure your lost wage payments are calculated correctly.ย
Protect Your Legal Right to Compensation
A minor work injury doesnโt always mean a fast and simple compensation claim. To make sure your rights are protected, speak with a St. Louis workerโs compensation attorney who can represent your best interests throughout the entire process.