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Work accidents should be taken very seriously, and surprisingly, a lot of people, if not most in the country, have little to no knowledge about how accident claims work. You need to know what you’re entitled to if you have just suffered an injury. Do not take your advice from hearsay, as it could rob you of being fully compensated. Let’s take a look at some myths about work accident claims that could stop you from getting the compensation you deserve.
You Should Not Report Minor Incidents
While it’s true that exaggerating a claim could eventually hurt a work injury case, all accidents, even minor ones, should be reported. Not only do you still have the right to be compensated if it was caused by negligence, but issues that might seem small at the beginning could quickly deteriorate over time. Even a minor scratch could turn into a minor infection quickly, for example. This has happened before and is rather common in sectors like manufacturing and the food industry. So, make sure that you report any incident right after the fact.
You Don’t Need a Doctor’s Assistance
If you think being in your company’s accident book is enough, think again. It is your responsibility to get as much evidence as you can on-site and seek medical assistance if you want to solidify your claim.
Your doctor’s reports will be a crucial piece of evidence in proving your claim. They will be able to prove how serious your injury really is and how it could deteriorate over time. They will also be able to fully demonstrate how it will affect your range of movement or your ability to make money in the future. This will be extremely important when calculating damages, and they may be the single most important person in your case after a solicitor.
This is especially important if you consider claiming for an arm injury since they can be much more debilitating than they first appear. If you want to file an arm injury claim is a great resource you should check out for information and representation.
You Should Go to Court if You Want Maximum Compensation
It’s simply not true that you need to go to court if you want maximum compensation. Sometimes, it’s better to work out a deal with the company’s insurer. These people are experts at dragging cases out and winning them by attrition, and some people simply don’t want to deal with the stress of uncertainty. They could even find a way to discredit your claim in the meanwhile and leave you with nothing.
This is why you need to work with a lawyer who’s familiar with litigation and negotiation. The overwhelming majority of workplace injury claims do not make it to court, so working with a skilled negotiator will ensure that you get as much as you can in a reasonable time.
It Will be Too Expensive
This one is extremely persuasive and actually sad because of how false it is and how it can deter people from getting full compensation. Most work and personal injury lawyers work on contingency. This means that they will only get money if you win a claim. Only once you get your judgement or settlement will they take a cut. So, not only will you not have to pay a penny out of pocket for representation, but you’ll know that you are pretty much assured that you will win if a solicitor decides to take on your case.
You Cannot Make a Claim if the Accident Didn’t Occur While You Were Working
Another dangerous myth about work accident claims is that you absolutely need to have suffered the accident in the course of your duties to be compensated. In reality, all that needs to be demonstrated is that you suffered an accident in your place of work and that the injury was caused by negligence. Please note that anywhere that counts as the company’s property counts as your place of work. This includes parking lots and any walking area within the property’s limits.
You Cannot Make a Claim if You Quit the Job
Even if you quit the job months ago, you are still eligible for compensation if you can prove that you suffered an injury at that place of work. You do have to know that there are limits to how long you can wait before you can make a claim, and if the accident happened more than three years ago, there’s a strong chance that it will be invalid, so be aware of that.
Please do not let these myths stop you from pursuing an injury claim and holding your employer accountable. If you still have questions, don’t hesitate to speak with a legal professional right away and learn the truth about these types of claims.
You may also like: What Kind of Benefits Can I Receive from Workers’ Compensation?
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