You must understand the workers’ compensation process if you receive an injury on the job. According to Mass.gov, any work-related injury qualifies you for medical benefits. Massachusetts requires workers’ compensation for every employer in the state.
Continue reading to learn about what you should do immediately after you receive a workplace injury. Avoiding or delaying action might affect your ability to obtain coverage.
Notify your employer
First, you must notify your supervisor. No matter how small the injury seems, an injury report is critical for workers’ compensation coverage. A minor injury might turn into something much more severe. If you do not generate a report from the outset, your company has plausible deniability that the damage was work-related.
Get medical treatment
Next, seek medical attention. Do not try to work through your injury. Receiving the proper medical treatment will help get you full benefits for your medical treatment. It is much easier to prove your claim if got treatment right away.
Do not delay
Workers’ compensation in Massachusetts has a four-year statute of limitations. However, unless you would not reasonably know you suffer from a work-related illness, it should never take this long to file a claim. Your employer has seven days to notify the company after you receive an injury, and the insurance company has up to 30 days to send you a notice accepting your claim. Once you tell your employer of the damage, there is little more you must do unless they reject your claim.
Delaying medical treatment or not telling your employer can only hurt your workers’ compensation case. It is illegal for employers to retaliate against you, so get your proper medical treatment immediately.
