I Was Hurt at Work in Connecticut. Now What?

If you get hurt on the job, what do you do next? It’s a common question that each Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Attorney at The Law Offices of James F. Aspell, P.C.is prepared to discuss anytime you have a question about the Workers’ Compensation system. When an accident occurs, there are four things you need to take care of immediately after being hurt ont he job. Following these four steps can help you prepare a Workers’ Compensation case. Report your injury to your employer immediately Your employer should provide you with medical treatment. They need to file a First Report of Injury Form with their workers’ compensation insurance carrier, and with the Workers’ Compensation Commission. If you delay reporting your injury, it greatly increases the chance that it may be disputed. Get prompt medical attention Your employer should send you to the company medical facility, a walk-in clinic, a hospital, or a designated physician for your initial medical treatment. As of March 25, 1993, your employer or your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier may establish a medical care plan to provide medical treatment for workers’ compensation claimants. If your employer has a designated medical provider, you must accept such initial treatment. File an official claim as soon as possible Filing a “written notice of claim” puts your claim on record. A 30C Form is best for this purpose, and is available from any District Office, or the Workers’ Compensation Commission. The statute of limitations for filing a compensation claim for an accidental injury is one year from the date of the injury. For an occupational disease, it is three years from the first manifestation of a symptom. If your employer wants to dispute your claim, you must receive official written notice of a denial (describing the reason(s) for it), or your employer must begin making workers’ compensation payments “without prejudice” within 28 calendar days. Contact your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance carrier, if you don’t get a benefit check within two weeks of becoming disabled To start payments, the insurance carrier needs the First Report of Injury Form and a wage statement from your employer, a medical report from your physician confirming that your injury is work-related, and that you are disabled by it. The insurance carrier also needs to know your federal tax filing status, and the number of exemptions shown on your federal tax return. If only the wage statement is missing, the carrier can usually send an advance payment until it comes in. In my practice, I make it our priority to get you the money you need to get back on your feet in the shortest amount of time. Each Connecticut Workers’ Compensation Attorney at our firm knows how hard you work, and we’ll do everything we can to make sure your rights to compensation are protected.