If you have been injured at work, here is some practical guidance to protect your rights:
See a doctor immediately. Choose your own doctor and see them right away. Inform the doctor that the injury happened at work.
Keep your employer informed. Keep your employer updated on your work status and provide copies of all medical reports to prevent any disciplinary action.
Understand your medical provider rights. You may request referrals from your current physician if you wish to change doctors. Employers are only required to cover providers within the referral network after your second choice.
Save your check stubs. Workers’ compensation benefits are based upon what you earned in the 52-week period prior to the date of accident.
Report the accident promptly. When completing accident reports, keep them somewhat general rather than overly specific — this avoids unintentional omissions that could be used against you later.
Know that repetitive trauma counts. A workers’ compensation “accident” includes not only a specific incident but also repetitive trauma that occurs over time.
When in doubt, call a lawyer. Calling a lawyer does not cost anything. Workers remain eligible for benefits even if they contributed to the accident through negligence, provided it was not intentional.
If you have been injured at work, contact CHNM Law for a free consultation at (312) 332-2545.