Workers’ compensation is an insurance program, and many people associate insurance companies with shady dealings of collecting premiums and skimping on policy benefits. Insurance companies have a goal to make money, even if it occurs at the expense of your injury and personal welfare.
As an employee injured on the job, you have legal rights to compensation benefits. If you do not aggressively ensure you receive your benefits, the insurance company could cheat you out of your legal rights.
Red flags to pay attention to
You cannot assume that the insurance company has your interests and health in mind when paying out your claim. While your employer may care about getting you back to work and making sure you get the treatment you need, the worker’s comp provider often wants to pay out as little as possible. Here are some common signs that the insurer is manipulating your benefits.
- They deny or limit medical treatment or therapies past a certain financial threshold.
- They deny payment for prescriptions.
- You receive notice of termination from your employer.
- The insurer denies payment of wages or undercalculates wage payments.
- The insurer-chosen doctor provides minimal care or follow-up and downplays your medical condition in reports.
Under state rules, the workers’ comp provider is able to choose your doctor for the first 30 days after first making the claim. If they fail to select a doctor, you have the right to choose your own provider.
Stand up for your rights
Workers’ compensation is a valuable benefit that can keep you on the path to healing and financial stability while you recover from a workplace injury. Pay close attention to your claim to ensure the insurer does not violate your rights.