Workers’ compensation is designed to protect an injured employee from medical expenses and lost wages in the wake of a workplace accident. However, the system is rarely easy to navigate, and oftentimes your employer’s insurance provider will try to deny your claim for one reason or another. If this happens and you have medical bills coming in, should you turn to your health insurance to help cover these expenses? We explain whether or not you should lean on your health insurance in the event that your work injury claim is denied.
Work Claim Denials And Health Insurance
If your workers’ compensation claim has been denied and medical bills are starting to stack up, you may be wondering if you should just bite the bullet and turn to your health insurance for help with expenses. That’s a poor decision for a number of reasons:
Health Insurance Oftentimes Denies Work Injuries – Injured employees are supposed to seek compensation for injuries through workers’ compensation, so if your health insurance provider believes someone else should be footing the bill, they may deny your claim.
Lost Wages Aren’t Covered – If you pursue a workers’ compensation claim, you can also collect lost wages when you’re not able to work as a result of your injuries. These benefits are not available through a health insurance claim.
Retraining/Education Benefits – Your workers’ compensation benefits include compensation for retraining or continuing education if you need to transition to a new position as a result of your injuries. Health insurance will not cover these expenses.
Death Benefits – In the unfortunate situation where the work accident results in death, workers’ compensation will provide for funeral costs, whereas health insurance will not.
You’re missing out on a number of key benefits if you attempt to have your work injury expenses offset through a health insurance claim, so we don’t recommend choosing this route. Instead, you’ll want to counter your claim denial, and the best way to do that is with an experienced injury lawyer by your side.
We’ll work hard to put together a strong argument that clearly shows that your injuries are work-related and therefore eligible for workers’ compensation. We’ll go to bat for you against the insurance company or before a judge to ensure that you get all the benefits you’re entitled to receive through a workers’ compensation claim.
So while your strategy may need to adjust a little in the event that your initial claim is denied, know that you’re probably not going to want to file a health insurance claim. Instead, connect with a professional injury firm and let them get you the benefits you deserve. For more information, or to talk with a workers’ compensation lawyer about your injury claim, give Dean and the team at Margolis Law Firm a call today at (952) 230-2700.
