Taking the Right Steps in Workers Compensation Cases

What should I do if I am injured at work? 

There are some important guidelines to keep in mind when you have been injured at work. Following these will help to protect your workers' comp benefits by avoiding the pitfalls that far too many good people fall prey to.

If you have had an accident at work:

IMMEDIATELY

• report all work-related injuries. This should be either to your direct supervisor or to the company representative who is supposed to handle such reports if one has been designated. Describe both the accident and all symptoms.
  • Missouri: 30 day deadline (in writing strongly recommended)
  • Kansas: As of 4/25/13, up to 20 days, but may be as few as 10 days after the employee's last day of actual work.

IMMEDIATELY

• request medical treatment from your employer.

TELL

• the doctor about all of your complaints and how they relate to your work injury. Be thorough but accurate. Exaggerations can only hurt your claim.

DO NOT

• give a recorded statement to the insurance company without speaking to a Kansas City workers' compensation attorney first. While the insurance company will be trying to pay you as little as possible or get away with no payment at all, an attorney will be fighting for your rights.

DO NOT

• assume that your employer and its insurer are protecting your rights. THEY ARE NOT!

DO NOT

• assume that the company doctor's conclusions or disability rating are the final say. THEY ARE NOT!

DO NOT

• allow a company-hired nurse to sit in on our doctor's appointments.

FILE

• your formal claim within the time limits set by law:
  • Missouri: Claim for Compensation within two (2) years from date of accident or last medical treatment.
  • Kansas: Application for Hearing within three (3) years from date of accident or two (2) years from last medical treatment.
  • NOTE: Written claim within 200 days applies for accidents before 5/15/11.

CONTACT

• us if you have any questions about your rights and your obligations. Consultations with our attorneys are always free.

YOUR Kansas City Workers' Compensation Lawyers

Perhaps the greatest threat to any successful workers' compensation claim is simply not knowing the steps that must be followed. Nothing upsets us more than having to speak to an injured worker after a critical mistake has been made instead of before. We want as many people as possible to know about this list of Do's and Don'ts. Please tell your co-workers about it. We'd even be more than happy to send out wallet-sized cards with this list so the information is always available to you and others you care about.

For guidance with your workers' comp claim, contact a Kansas City workers' compensation attorney.