If you have been hurt at work, take some advice from those that have been there before and don't make the below mistakes. Doing so could not only delay your benefits but may also lead to a denial. Read on to find out more.

Failure to Seek Medical Help

If your injury is minor, you may not need to go to the doctor. If your injury can be taken care of using the first-aid kit at work, you probably don't have a workers' compensation claim. However, don't neglect to seek medical treatment if your injury is anything but minor. Waiting too long could send the wrong message.

Failure to Inform the Medical Facility About Your Injury

The emergency room, urgent care clinic, or your doctor won't know that your injury is work-related unless you tell them. It's best to jot down the basic facts about how you were hurt so that you will say the same thing to everyone you encounter and when you fill out your workers' comp claim form. Consistency is important and the billing codes are different for workplace accidents.

Failure to Inform Your Supervisor

You are required to report your injury or occupational illness to your boss in a timely manner. As soon as you can, phone them or tell them in person that you have a work-related injury, and you want a workers' comp claim filed on your behalf.

Failure to See the Correct Doctor

You can usually see whoever you want for your initial medical visit but check with your employer or the workers' compensation insurer to find out who to see after that.  You might need to see a certain doctor, but some states allow hurt workers to see whoever they want. Not all doctors treat work injuries, and you want to ensure that your own insurance is not incorrectly billed for your care.

Failure to Get Expert Advice

Some hurt workers are ruled to be permanently disabled to some degree and may be offered a lump sum settlement by the insurer. It's extremely important that former workers don't agree to anything without speaking to a workers' compensation lawyer. They can help you determine how much money you should be getting paid. Along with that, they can negotiate with the workers' comp insurer for that compensation. This is an important point in your work injury case and too much is at stake to do it yourself.

Speak to a workers' compensation lawyer today to find out more.