Workers Compensation in Fort Wayne, IN
You aren’t alone if you wonder how workers’ compensation works.
Workers’ compensation is insurance that provides wage and medical benefits to people who have become ill or injured while at work. How far this coverage goes depends on Indiana state law.
If your injury or illness is eligible for compensation, the insurance carrier should help ease the financial burden.
Learn some of the basic principles of Indiana workers’ compensation insurance and how the process works.
Workers Compensation Statistics In Fort Wayne, Indiana?
The Indiana Department of Labor states that non-fatal workplace injuries are at a historic low. However, certain injuries and illnesses still affect the workforce in Fort Wayne. Injuries such as carpal tunnel syndrome, tendonitis, stress fractures, and back injuries due to overexertion or improper lifting are all very common. If you have been injured at work in Fort Wayne or developed a work-related illness, you may be entitled to compensation and benefits under The Indiana Workers’ Compensation Act.
How Does Workers Comp Work In Fort Wayne, Indiana?
Unfortunately, going through the process of applying for workers’ compensation begins with getting sick or injured on the job. The circumstances surrounding the incident that led to your problems are especially crucial. For example, the injury had to occur during your regular work duties. While an event that happens during your lunch break wouldn’t apply, getting into a car accident while running an errand for your boss would qualify for a claim.
The Workers’ Compensation Board of Indiana states that most employers are required to carry worker’s compensation insurance. Some exceptions to this are state and municipal workers, as well as railroad workers. Certain federal employees in Indiana are also exempt. Fort Wayne Workers’ Compensation provides benefits in the form of disability payments, medical treatment, and recovery of lost wages. In addition, mental health is covered in Fort Wayne if the physical injury caused the psychological trauma. Or if you can prove a previous condition was aggravated by the work environment.
For example, say your supervisor asked you to drop something off on your lunch break. While running this errand you then get in a car accident on your way to the destination. Any resulting injury is eligible for workers’ compensation. However, if you are on your lunch break, performing no such task when you get in an accident, it does not qualify for a claim.
The steps you take immediately following a workplace incident in Indiana are critical for filing a claim. Follow the following steps to preserve your rights and learn how workers comp works.
Get Medical Attention
After you get injured or feel ill, the first step is to see a doctor. Don’t delay receiving help from a Indiana healthcare professional. Taking too long could not only jeopardize your health, but you run the risk of missing deadlines.
Even if you believe your injury is minor, get a proper medical report detailing the extent of the damage and how it occurred. This step is the top priority in the workers’ compensation claim process. Otherwise, your employer cannot file a claim with the insurance carrier.
You may have regular checkups and testing for weeks or months before a doctor finally connects your illness with your job. Your medical records will become the foundation from which the workers’ comp carrier will launch its investigation.
Generally, your doctor determines if the illness happened because of your work conditions or became aggravated by them. Once they do, see your human resources representative to file a workers’ compensation claim.
File a First Report of Injury
Once you have a medical diagnosis relating your illness or injury to your job, you must file a claim with your employer.
According to Workers’ Compensation of Indiana, the time in which you handle the events after an injury occurs is the most important. You should notify your employer immediately if you are injured or develop symptoms of a work-related illness. Then you should seek medical treatment as soon as it is possible. Taking these actions promptly will establish a more concrete timeline. In case of any disputes that arise in your claim. It is also wise to obtain 2 copies of the doctor’s report after your medical treatment. 1 copy for your employer, and 1 copy for you.
Timeline and Other Information
After a Fort Wayne employer reports your injury to the Workers’ Compensation Board, they will designate a doctor for medical treatment. But if your situation is an emergency you should go to the nearest hospital. Once your claim has been approved, you will begin receiving a check for lost wages after you have been absent from work for 21 days. You are eligible to receive permanent disability benefits in Fort Wayne for a maximum of 500 weeks.
Your employer should furnish you with information about the claims process. The adjuster or insurance carrier representative may want to speak to you at some point. Typically about the incident and to any possible witnesses to the event. In the meantime, the workers’ comp insurer may begin paying medical benefits while the investigation into your claim continues.
Why You Should Hire a Fort Wayne, Indiana Workers’ Compensation Lawyer
While workers’ compensation claims may be straightforward for some cases in Fort Wayne, Indiana, in others, it may be more difficult. For example, your employer may decide to question whether you were hurt on the clock or on your own time. It’s also common for a company to question the full extent of your injury. Hiring a Fort Wayneworkers’ comp lawyer ensures that you have an advocate to fight for your rights as a victim.
Work With an Experienced Local Lawyer In Fort Wayne, Indiana
If you are hurt or contract an illness as a result of your job in Fort Wayne, Indiana you need to find the right people to help. Since the workers’ compensation claims process can have pitfalls, you should consider getting a local attorney who knows how to avoid them.
Submit a request online or call us today at (866) 345-6784 to get in touch with an experienced lawyer in your area!
About the Author
Aaron is a professional legal writer with a B.S. in English Education from Southern Illinois University – Carbondale. He has written, published, and edited thousands of legal articles for RequestLegalHelp, which has connected over 5 million people to legal help in the United States.
With over five years of experience writing thousands of legal articles for law firms across the U.S. and Canada, Aaron specializes in covering federal, state, and city-level legal issues ranging from auto accidents to wrongful terminations.
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