Never Do These Five Things After A Work Injury

Injuries in the workplace are typically quite rare, which means that when they do occur, most people are unfamiliar with the steps they should take to ensure they are protected and earn the compensation they deserve. You would think that it would be a rather simple system to ensure injured workers get the benefits they deserve, but unfortunately that’s not the case, which is why if you’re not careful, you could end up doing something that jeopardizes your ability to collect compensation.

To help familiarize you with the workers’ compensation system and set you up for success, we’ve put together a list of five things you should never do if you suffer an on-the-job injury in Minnesota.

Five Things To Avoid After A Work Injury

If you do any of these five things after a work injury, there’s a good chance you’ll be making it much harder to earn maximum compensation. Here’s what to avoid:

1. Walking It Off – Don’t downplay the significance of your injury. Even if you don’t believe that you’ll miss time from work or incur medical expenses as a result of your injuries, you need to report it to a manager or Human Resources. It becomes much harder to prove that you were injured on the job if you try to report the injury days or weeks after it happened, so make sure you report an injury to the proper channel.

2. Skipping Medical Appointments– Whether it is an initial medical evaluation after an injury or your most recent physical therapy session, do not skip any medical appointments without at least trying hard to reschedule them as soon as possible if a conflict arises. If the insurance company gets wind that you’re missing appointments, they may cease payments on your benefits on the grounds that you no longer believe treatment or care is necessary. Don’t give them an easy out by skipping appointments.

3. Rushing To Settle – We understand that your financial situation may have taken a hit as a result of your time away from work, but don’t let the insurance company use this to their advantage and force you into a lowball settlement. It’s incredibly rare that an insurance company puts forth their best offer as their first offer. Look at the offer, review it carefully and understand where you believe you’re being shortchanged before offering a counteroffer of your own.

4. Oversharing On Social Media – Refrain from giving details about your injuries or your workers’ compensation case on social media. We understand that you may feel the need to keep people updated, but anything you post on social media could be used against you during your case. It may seem innocent to say you’re healing well or show pictures of you partaking in recreational activities while you heal, but the insurance company may try to twist the narrative on those posts and keep you from getting the most for your injuries. Avoid posting about your case on social media until it is concluded.

5. Forgoing A Lawyer – Finally, one of the worst things you can do during a workers’ compensation case if you are attempting to maximize your compensation is to go through the process without a lawyer. There are so many complex and little-known aspects of the work comp system that it’s next to impossible for someone without an intricate understanding of the law to get a fair shake against the large insurance companies. Let us go to bat for you, provide valuable insight and ensure that you aren’t taken advantage of by the other side during negotiations or court.

If you avoid these five things and trust your injury case to Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm, we’re confident you’ll be making the injury compensation process much easier on yourself. For more information, or for help with a different aspect of your injury case, reach out to the team at Margolis Law Firm today at (952) 230-2700.