5 Mistakes That May Hurt Your Workers’ Compensation Claim

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If you have sustained work-related injuries, you need to hire a work injury attorney that specializes in workers’ comp. A workers’ comp attorney can help you file a compelling workers’ compensation claim that recoups you for all your injuries, medical expenses, and lost wages. 

Of course, your attorney’s services and expertise can only obtain desirable results if you do your part. There are actions or statements that, when made, can hurt your workers’ compensation claim. 

Avoid these five commonly seen mistakes and be a step closer to a successful workers’ comp claim in Florida. 

1. Taking Your Time

The best time to file your workers’ comp claim in Florida is immediately following your work-related injury. Take too long — more than four years, to be exact — and your claim may become invalid. 

In Florida, the statute of limitations for injury claims is four years. It may seem like a long time to file a claim, but don’t delay. Bear in mind that there may be delays in the proceedings. It is also worth noting that your employer and the insurance provider might try to deny your claim, making the claims process longer. 

2. Lying About Your Injuries

It might seem necessary to exaggerate the severity of your injuries to add gravitas to your claim. On the contrary, doing this will devalue or invalidate your workers’ compensation claim. 

After you sustain an injury at work, a physician will perform a thorough physical assessment. They will conduct visual inspections and other tests. The results of these tests will accurately reflect the severity of your injuries and will go into a record for everyone’s reference. 

Any discrepancy between your claims of your injury and the findings will create doubt in your claim. When the opposite legal counsel sees through your statements, they can invalidate the legitimacy of your injury claim. 

3. Disregarding Your Physician’s Medical Advice

When you fail to follow the physician’s orders, you will either delay your recovery or prevent it. Worse yet, you might hurt your compensation claim. 

The physician’s treatment plan will appear on record to prove that you have received adequate medical attention. Since the medical reports will show that your physician provided care, any deterioration in your injury will be your fault. As a result, you won’t be able to claim any compensation for injuries after your physician has provided care. 

In short, the best course of action is to follow your physician’s treatment plan and advice. Doing this not only hastens your recovery but also will get you back to work as soon as possible.

4. Performing Activities Beyond Your Activity Restrictions

This mistake ties into the previous one. While you are recovering, your physician will restrict you from certain activities. These activity restrictions are in place to prevent any aggravation of your work-related injuries. 

Performing activities beyond medical restrictions will harm you in more ways than one. First, it can re-aggravate your existing work-related injury. Second, your display of ability will create doubts about the severity of your injuries.

Any doubt in the severity of your injuries will be an area the opposing legal counsel can exploit. With evidence that you can perform activities despite your injuries, your claim will either become invalid or drop in value. 

5. Not Calling a Workers’ Comp and Personal Injury Attorney

This is the worst mistake you can make. Despite its pro-worker laws, Florida has a complex workers’ compensation claim process. The process is fraught with documents and steps that are usually too much for one person to navigate. Attempt to DIY your workers’ comp claim, and you will fight an uphill legal battle that likely leads to a loss. 

Contact Us Today

Take the right course of action for your claim. Reach out for experienced and aggressive legal representation in Florida that puts your interests first. 

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