If you suffer an injury while you’re at work, you need to make sure that you file an official injury report with management, even if you’re not sure that the injury would qualify for workers’ compensation. We understand all the reasons why someone may be reluctant to report their injury to management, but not everyone understands the potential pitfalls associated with failing to report your injury in a prompt manner. In today’s blog, we explore five problems that you can run into if you don’t report your work injury right away.
Why You Should Report Your Work Injury Right Away
Here’s a look at five major issues that you can run into if you wait to report your work injury to management.
1. Claim Questions – Insurance companies are always looking for reasons to minimize their liability and deny your claim, and if you wait 2-3 days to report your injury to management, they will have no problem initially denying your claim until you can prove beyond a doubt that your injuries occurred during the course of your employment. Don’t make it easier for the insurance company to argue that it’s possible you suffered the injuries outside of work because you waited a few days to report it.
2. Loss Of Evidence – It may be harder to find witnesses or track down camera footage of the incident if you wait a while to report the injury to management. The sooner you report your injury, the sooner video evidence can be cataloged and witness information can be collected. It becomes harder to find evidence to support your claim the longer you wait to report your injuries.
3. Memories Fade – Workers’ compensation law allows you some leeway in how long you can wait to file an injury claim, but that doesn’t mean you should drag your feet in reporting your injury and filing a claim. If you are relying on witness testimony to back up your claims, their memory of the accident can fade if you wait days or months to get the ball rolling on your claim. Get started right away so that the incident is fresh in the minds of witnesses.
4. Potential Denial – If you wait too long to report your injury, you may automatically have your claim denied. Under Minnesota law, an injured worker has 180 days to report their work injury, otherwise the injury is no longer eligible for compensation. Even if everything else is valid with your claim, if you wait too long to report your injury, your claim can and will be denied.
5. Could Protect Your Coworkers – Finally, if you were injured at work because of faulty equipment or an unrecognized potential health hazard, reporting the injury can ensure that your company addresses the issue so that nobody else gets hurt. Look out for your coworkers by reporting any injuries and potential hazards as soon as possible.
Keep these tips in mind in the event that you suffer an on-the-job injury, and be sure to reach out to an experienced injury lawyer like Dean Margolis once you’ve informed your company about your injury. For more information, or for help with your claim, reach out to Dean and the team at Margolis Law Office today at (952) 230-2700.
