After sustaining an injury in a workplace accident, anyone’s mind would be reeling. Questions that were not previously concerned at all suddenly become urgent matters, from medical problems resulting from the accident to worries about what you will do while you are unable to work. To say nothing of the fact that an injury can get better or worsen abruptly in the immediate aftermath of an accident.
To help you through such a stressful time, this blog will explain what workers’ compensation is and how it can help you. We’ll give you important tips on what you should do immediately following the accident. It will be crucial to get in touch with Rockland County workers’ compensation lawyers. With our years of experience, we know what we need to do to get the compensation you deserve.
What Is Workers’ Compensation in New York?
If you’re an employee, your company most likely pays a kind of insurance called workers’ compensation. Workers’ compensation protects you and your employer if their employees get hurt while working for them. Through workers’ compensation, you should receive compensation for lost wages and medical care arising from workplace accidents and injuries, in addition to sickness resulting from exposure to a substance at your work. The Workers’ Compensation Board, if you live in New York, will review your case.
You have a right to workplace compensation benefits regardless of who is to blame for your injury or sickness. Nor is it permissible for your compensation to be reduced bec
ause you contributed to the accident. That said, your employer may try to dispute your claim to workers’ compensation. Often this happens because the employer suspects your injury either didn’t happen while you were working or is otherwise just unrelated to your job. If your employer disputes your claim, you may instead be eligible to apply for disability benefits.
What Should I Do After a Workplace Accident?
It’s key to understand that the clock starts ticking as soon as your injury happens. In New York, claims for workplace accidents have a two-year statute of limitations. You will need to file a workers’ compensation claim before that time is up. Don’t waste it.
Your very first step after the accident should be to seek medical attention. You may need to visit the emergency room or an urgent care provider, and if so, you should go right away. If your injury or illness isn’t an urgent emergency, make an appointment with a doctor approved by the Workers’ Compensation Board.
Contact your employer and let them know about the danger. Just like you were hurt, one of your coworkers may also get hurt. You need to tell your employer to make sure they address whatever caused the accident before someone else is hurt. Legally, you have 30 days to notify your employer about your injury.
Fill out and send Form C-3. To start your claim, you must send this form to your local Workers’ Compensation Board. Again, you must necessarily do so within two years, or the statute of limitations will bar you from compensation.
