Steps To Take If You Have Been Injured At Work Metairie LA

By Patricia Wagner


If you have been hurt at work, you need to know what you can do to be compensated. In Louisiana, employers are required to provide their employees with workers compensation insurance. If they have been injured at work Metairie LA residents should take several steps so that they can file their workers compensation claim successfully and get a fair settlement amount for their injuries.

One of the important steps to take is to inform your employer about your injuries right away. You may miss work due to your injuries. By informing your employer about the incident, you will comply with workers compensation regulations. The state of Louisiana requires workers to report accidents within a short time after they occur so that they can be compensated. Reporting the incident will raise your chances of receiving benefits soon.

Getting the contact information and the names of the witnesses of the accident is also wise. Note that, insurers and your employer may dispute the details of your case. Your witness will be useful if this is the case. He or she will back up your claims and confirm that you sustained injuries at work and not elsewhere.

The other step you should take after being hurt at work is to get medical treatment promptly. If your injuries are severe, you may need to be taken to an urgent care clinic or emergency room. However, if you are not severely injured, ask your employer if he or she requires you to see a particular physician or if you can choose the doctor to consult with. If your employer selects a doctor, but you are not satisfied with the way you were treated, you can consider seeing another doctor.

As you inform your employer about the injuries you sustained, it is vital to describe the details clearly. You may have gotten injured, but you do not have a specific trauma. In such a situation, repetitive overuse or stress may be to blame and you need to report this. The workers compensation system and insurance firms will consider the statements you made when describing the injuries in the initial report. For this reason, make sure that the details are consistent and accurate.

The insurer may request you to fill a form authorizing it to get access to your medical records. This is a reasonable request if it only references the medical records that relate to the injuries you sustained at work. Nevertheless, speaking to a workers compensation attorney before you sign the authorization form is wise.

It is also likely that the insurance company will ask you to provide it with a tape recorded statement, describing your accident. In general, you should not give a recorded statement to the insurer without speaking to an attorney first. A lawyer can also assist you to file the workers compensation claim.

Attending all your medical appointments and keeping a record of the medical treatment is also wise. If not, the insurer can make an assumption that your injuries have been resolved or they are not severe and cancel the claim. If you follow these tips, you will have a valid claim that will successfully go through the legal system.




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