- January 19, 2021
- Workers' Compensation
It’s not that complicated to get your workers’ compensation approved. In America, over 90% of employees have workers’ compensation coverage in case of work-related injuries. In Charlotte, North Carolina, employers with more than three employees must have North Carolina workers’ compensation insurance. The North Carolina Workers Compensation Act (NCWCA) makes provision for this.
North Carolina workers’ compensation provides insurance coverage that protects employees in the case of any medical emergencies, work-related injuries, and even death. The benefit is calculated based on lost wages, medical expenses, specific loss, scarring, damages, and future medical costs.
It is against the law to not have workers’ compensation or to lay off an employee who has an on-the-job injury. If this happens to you, contact a workers’ compensation attorney in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Steps to Take to Get Your Workers‘ Compensation Approved
To get your workers’ compensation approved, you need to take the following steps:
Seek Medical Attention
Once an employee sustains an injury in a work-related incident, they seek medical attention from the employer’s on-site health providers. If there is no on-site doctor, the employee can go to their employer’s designated health care office. In the absence of the preceding, the person can go to any medical provider that can treat such injury.
Fill Form 18 and Form 19
Form 18 is the notice of the accident to the employer, and the claim of the employee, representative or dependent. Form 19 is the Employers Report of Employees Injury or Occupational Disease filed by the employer or insurance carrier reporting an injury. The two claims are to get to the North Carolina Insurance Commission (NCIC) within 30 days of sustaining the wounds.
The commission reviews the insurance coverage status after receiving the claim to see if you get your workers’ compensation approved. The content is subject to the North Carolina Workers’ Compensation Act. The NCIC gives the employee a notification within 14-days of filing whether their insurance claim is approved or not.
If the request comes back unaccepted, the worker has 14-days to file for an appeal with the NCIC. The NCIC will then schedule a mediation conference at which an independent mediator will discuss your case with you or your Charlotte workers’ compensation attorney and your employers’ insurance representative.
Tips To Ensure You Get Your Workers‘ Compensation Approved
In North Carolina, certain factors lead to workers who had on-the-job injuries receiving a denial of their claims. Reasons for the denials range from not giving enough details about the wound to leaving out important information about the accident and providing recorded statements that are often used against them to deny their claims.
To ensure you get your Charlotte workers’ compensation, here are some useful tips:
- Get medical treatment from an on-site health provider or designated health provider when you sustain an injury to ensure that your claims don’t get denied because you used another health care provider.
If there are co-workers who were witnesses to the incident, ensure that you get their names and phone numbers. You might need to get them to corroborate your claims.
- Get an experienced Charlotte workers’ compensation Attorney. Getting a lawyer who will help you file your claim appropriately, give legal advice and representation when needed will go a long way in ensuring that your claims don’t get denied.
You are also supposed to discuss the details of your injury with your attorney to avoid giving undue information to a third party. Keep the details of your accident and injury off social media as well. This way, nothing can be taken out of context if you appeal a claim denial.
- Do not talk to a workers’ compensation insurance carrier without your workers’ compensation attorney. Refuse to provide a recorded statement in the absence of your lawyer. Sometimes, you can be requested to submit to an independent medical examination from a professional health care personnel chosen by your employers to evaluate you.
- Do not agree to an independent medical examination, except you have a workers’ compensation lawyer with you. Most times, these evaluations seek to reduce or deny your claims.
- Do not engage in activities that suggest that your injuries are not as severe as you claim they are. Some insurance carriers can make use of private investigators to monitor your activities.
Your Charlotte workers’ compensation can be denied or reduced. Don’t lose hope if it happens. You have the right to appeal such denials or even awards that are less than the law stipulates, or you think you deserve.
Contact Charlotte Workers’ Compensation Lawyers!
With years of extensive experience, our Charlotte workers’ comp attorneys are committed to using their training and wisdom on your case. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.
