Following your workplace accident, your employer’s insurance provider will either accept or refuse your Workers’ Compensation claim. Whether the claim is approved or refused, the insurance company or you, the injured worker, may desire to pay the claim entirely. When you settle a claim on a complete and final basis, the insurance company pays you the whole amount of money (a settlement) and releases them from any obligation related to your claim.
A settlement demand is a catalyst for any agreement. The amount you want the insurance company to pay to settle your claim is referred to as a settlement demand, not the final amount you are ready to accept to settle your case. Handling the case gets easier when you take help from Richmond Workers’ Compensation attorneys.
These are four tried-and-true tactics to help you get the most out of your settlement.
1. Inform your employer and file a workers’ compensation claim
The first step in obtaining fair compensation is to notify your employer of the job injury. This should be done very quickly. The longer you take, the more tricky it will be to prove your case to your employer and insurance provider.
2. Seek medical assistance
If in case you wait for a long time to get medical help, the insurance company may decide to decrease your settlement amount or deny your claim. Consider things from the opposing side’s perspective. If the injured worker did not feel the need to seek medical attention when the incident occurred, it was likely not a significant injury.
3. Recognize your Workers’ Compensation Disability Rating
Workplace injuries can result in long-term physical disabilities that restrict you from working for a period of time. There is a disability score that your doctor will assign you, which measures the degree of your disability if you are left with a permanent handicap. This severity score might range anywhere from 5% to 100%. Workers who have been permanently wounded may be entitled to lifetime pay to compensate for their lost pay due to the mishap.
4. Make the Most of Your Disabled Benefits
Weekly benefits for people with disabilities are calculated as a proportion of your average weekly earnings. If the insurance company is sending you a weekly disability payment, they may be more willing to compromise.
Book a free consultation with the Injured Workers’ Law Firm if your workers’ compensation claim has been refused or you are afraid that it may be rejected. For a free consultation, call us at (804) 352- 2816.
