What to Do After a Work Injury in Rockville
If you have suffered a work-related injury, you may be uncertain what to do next or how the workers’ compensation process works. Through your employer’s workers’ compensation coverage, you may be able to account for medical expenses and some of your lost wages incurred due to a work-related accident.
If you have any legal concerns regarding what to do after a work accident in Rockville, it may be wise to speak with a skilled workers compensation attorney regarding your claim.
Filing a Claim After a Rockville Work Accident
Most companies and business in Rockville are required to carry and maintain workers compensation coverage to protect their employees in the event of a work-related accident. In order to file a workers’ compensation claim, injured employers must provide notice to their employer that they have sustained an injury no later than 10 days from the date of the incident (see Maryland Code § 9-704). If a worker’s injuries are so severe that they prove to be fatal, the law affords families up to 30 days to provide injury notice to the decedent’s employer.
Under Md. Code § 9-705, if worker has an occupational illness, they have up to one year from the time they learn of their illness to notify their employer. Equally important, when a worker dies due to their occupational illness, their family is provided one year from the date of the worker’s death in which to send notice to the employer.
Why Is Seeking Medical Attention Important?
Another important step to take after being injured in a work-related accident in Rockville is to seek prompt medical attention. No matter the severity of the worker’s injuries, injured workers should receive medical care as soon as possible. A failure to seek medical attention could provide an avenue for insurance adjusters to deny the necessary benefits later on.
How Does Someone Pursue a Third-Party Injury Claim?
In certain cases, the injured party may be entitled to compensation beyond what their company’s workers’ compensation coverage would include. If a third-party individual or entity contributed to the worker’s injury, the worker may have just cause to pursue a separate personal injury lawsuit against that party.
Workers compensation coverage does not include losses such as pain and suffering. However, in a successful third-party personal injury lawsuit, the injured worker could recover damages for mental anguish, emotional distress, and more.
Call a Rockville Attorney to Discuss Your Legal Options After a Work Accident
It may prove very difficult to attempt to navigate a workers’ compensation claim on your own. Even when your employer offers these benefits, the insurance company may attempt to diminish the severity of your injuries to reduce the amount of money they have to pay out on your claim.
An attorney could ensure that the full scope of your financial losses is fully documented when asserting a workers’ compensation claim. A lawyer could also work hard to achieve the maximum benefit possible for your injuries. Call now to discuss your claim with a skilled lawyer and let them help you file for your rightful benefits.
