If you’ve been injured in a work-related accident, filing for workers compensation benefits will be essential if you want to get your medical expenses covered and your wages reimbursed for any time you’ve spent away from work. Employers are required to provide workers compensation insurance as a way to financially protect employees, but workers comp removes liability from employers, as well.
Although workers comp is an excellent benefit to have, the process of filing a claim and getting approved for benefits can sometimes be challenging. Often, workers comp insurance companies will make it difficult for you to receive the benefits you deserve because they don’t want to lose profits.
At Kooi Law, our attorneys are experienced with handling workers comp cases. If you’ve been through the process and your claim has been denied, an Indianapolis workers comp lawyer from our team can help you file an appeal. Just because you’ve been denied on the first decision doesn’t mean you’re out of options. With the right legal representation, you’ll have a chance to be heard and approved.
Whether you’ve been denied or you don’t agree with the amount that your employer’s insurance company has offered you for workers comp benefits, you have a right to appeal their decision. The initial decision is made by a single hearing judge but you can request a review by the full board, which is made up of seven members. The appeal must be filed within thirty days of your initial decision.
If you’re still dissatisfied with the full board’s decision, you can file a second appeal with the Indiana Court of Appeals. Again, if you’re dissatisfied with the Court of Appeals’ decision, you can escalate your workers comp claim to the Indiana Supreme Court.
When your workers comp claim becomes this serious, having an experienced attorney by your side can be the key to building a strong case. Your employer or your employer’s insurance company will likely have a lawyer representing them when your case gets escalated this much, so it will likely be in your best interests to have legal representation, as well.
When trying to get a workers comp claim approved, you’ll need to be able to present complex Indiana workers comp laws, provide clear and convincing evidence to support your case, and have knowledge regarding how medical information is exchanged between professionals and individuals. If you don’t follow the rules, miss any deadlines, or misunderstand any of the information, you could be denied.
An experienced workers comp lawyer in Indianapolis can guide you through the process and when your claim gets denied, your attorney will be more than prepared to appeal your case and escalate it as necessary until you receive the benefits you deserve. You’ll have an advantage moving forward with your claim when you have strong legal representation behind you.
Getting denied for workers compensation can be frustrating but it’s important to know that you still have options. If you’re ready to speak with an Indianapolis workers comp lawyer from Kooi Law about how to proceed with your case, call 317-569-1335 or visit our website for more information.