If you suffered an injury at work, you may find that these injuries could leave you with unexpected medical bills and other complications. One work accident can alter the course of your life by wiping out your savings and leaving you unable to return to work. This type of event can be traumatic and overwhelming, but like many Missouri employees, you may have grounds to seek recovery through a workers’ compensation claim.
A workers’ compensation claim will allow you to pursue financial recovery after an accident in the workplace. Many different employers provide this type of insurance, allowing injured workers a way to cover their medical needs and more. However, the claims process can be complex, and many initial claims come back denied. If this happens to you, you will benefit from learning more about what comes next.
Fighting for your recovery
A work accident can be expensive. You may need medical care, which means doctor appointments, rehabilitation, surgery and more. These things can be quite expensive, and insurance does not always cover them. This is why workers’ compensation insurance is so important. It can be devastating when a claim comes back denied, but it is not the end of the road for you. After a denied claim, there are appeal options available to you, but the first step is determining why the claim came back denied. Common reasons include:
- There was insufficient documentation included in the claim, or the documentation included was incomplete.
- The injury was not reported to the employer within the required time period.
- The employer is currently disputing the claim.
- There is reason to believe the injury is not work related, or it is not compensable.
- The claimant did not seek medical attention or did not follow the doctor’s orders regarding treatment.
The reason for the denied claim should be in the letter from the insurance company. Once you understand that, you can prepare to seek an appeal of your denied claim.
Getting better and moving forward
It is not easy to pick up the pieces and move forward after a work accident. If you are unsure of the steps that you need to take after a denied claim, you may benefit from a professional assessment of your case and explanation of the legal options available to you. You do not have to walk through the aftermath of a work accident alone.
