If you have suffered an injury or illness related to your job, you are no doubt hoping to get workers’ compensation benefits. Unfortunately, many people find that their workers’ compensation claim is denied. That doesn’t always mean that you cannot obtain benefits. In many cases, there are additional steps you can take to overcome a denial.
There are several reasons why your claim may be denied, such as:
- Missed Deadlines – Injured workers must file a workers’ compensation claim within a certain time period in order to be eligible. If you miss the deadline, your claim may be denied.
- Disputing the Injury – Sometimes an employer will deny that a work-related injury is actually work-related. They may argue that you were doing something wrong, or weren’t on the clock. You will need evidence of the circumstances of your injury in order to appeal a denial for this reason.
- Condition Doesn’t Meet State Guidelines – Every state has guidelines about what injuries qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. These guidelines often relate to psychological injuries or minor injuries.
- Claim Filed after Leaving – If you were terminated, laid off or quit your job and then filed a claim for workers’ compensation, you may be initially denied. You can contest a denial for these reasons if you did file a claim while still at the job, or you were terminated in retaliation, which is illegal.
If your workers’ compensation claim has been denied for any of these reasons, you should talk to a workers’ compensation attorney about your options to contest or appeal a denial.
