Workers’ compensation benefits are owed to any employee with a valid on-the-job injury claim. Workers’ comp claims occur when employees are injured at work and, typically, when they cannot return to work for some period of time. When accidents happen at work, the best course of action is to learn about and fight for your rights. As an employee, you are virtually always entitled to benefits from your employer and its insurance company if you are injured while on the job.
If You Have Been Injured on the Job
If you’ve been injured on the job, you must act quickly to ensure that you are protected. Notify your supervisor immediately about the accident, and describe honestly how it happened. Write out all of the incident’s specifics for yourself right away as well, as details may become blurry over time. Speak to anyone who witnessed the incident, and make note of their names and contact information, should you later need a witness in court. Notify your employer’s human resources department about the accident in writing as well. Send this notification immediately, if possible, but definitely within 30 days of the incident, and request that someone follow up with you to confirm receipt. Seek medical treatment as soon as possible, even if you aren’t sure you have been injured. Once you seek medical care, the provider will file any required reports in support of your claim. Shortly thereafter, your employer’s insurance company will contact you and explain what benefits you are entitled to receive.
Idaho Workers’ Compensation Laws
Title 72 of the Idaho Statutes outlines the laws dealing with workers’ compensation. The statute states that the employer is liable and responsible for securing the payment of benefits to any injured employee. The employee must be compensated for any expenses related to the incident, including wage replacement, medical bills, prescribed therapeutic treatment, vocational rehabilitation and any other benefits that may be warranted. In almost every case, you are entitled to some or all of these benefits under the protection of the law. Unfortunately, even though it is dictated by law, some employers attempt to delay or deny proper compensation. In that case, legal action may be warranted against the employer and its insurance company.
The Best Way to Know You are Receiving Full Compensation
Speaking with an experienced workers’ compensation attorney is the most reliable and effective way to determine the benefits and compensation you are entitled to, and to ensure that you receive that compensation in a timely manner. In Boise and the surrounding communities, the professional attorneys of the Montgomery Dowdle Law Group have extensive experience fighting on their clients’ behalfs. Contact them today to discuss your case and learn the most effective way to obtain the workers’ compensation benefits to which you are entitled.