For a Successful Claim, Act With Urgency But Not With Panic

Do report the workplace accident, even if it is what you would consider a minor accident. When you report the accident immediately, you are taking an important step forward protecting your rights to compensation. Failure to report the injury immediately gives the employer or insurer the opportunity to seize on your oversight. 

Don't talk to an adjuster without a lawyer present. Your company's insurance adjuster could pressure you into making false statements, ask you questions that you are not required to answer or simply not document the conversation correctly.

Don't  let the nurse case manager attend your doctor appointments. Nurse case managers can intimidate claimants as well as doctors, often applying pressure to get injured claimants back to work sooner than they are medically able. Nurse case managers can also apply pressure to make the doctor forego recommendations for surgery, therapy, and other medical procedures. 

Don't talk to your co-workers about your injury. Its not uncommon for co-workers to be used by companies to solicit information from unsuspecting claimants. The people you thought were your friends may actually be feeding information about you to the company.

Do remember you will be under video surveillance. The insurance company will take video surveillance when you are outside of your home. Don't do anything outside that you don't want photographed, videotaped or the insurance company to know about.

Do keep accurate records of your injury, your doctor's appointments and any other items pertaining to the work accident or your injury. 

Do remember that you have the right to choose your own doctor. 

Do tell the truth. If you have a prior injury on the injured body part, disclose this fact to your doctor and to your attorney. Don't lie about prior accidents or injuries. 

Do remember that you may have to return to work at some point. The workers' compensation claim benefits could end, and you will need to get on with your life and earn money for your family.

Do consider your options. For example, you may need to consider going back to school or obtaining training to do a new type of job. A very small percentage of workers' comp claimants are permanently disabled; most return to work at some point.

Contact a Slidell Workers' Compensation Lawyer