Keep a Post-auto Accident Plan in Your Glove Box

A worker's compensation claim only works when both the employee and the employer cooperate to get compensation for the injured employee. In some cases, your boss may not be as cooperative as you would like. Here are the steps to take when that happens.

Talk to Your Boss

The first step is to talk to your boss about why they are taking this stance. Do they not believe that you were injured on company property? Do they think the injury was your fault? Do they not want to pay the worker's compensation benefits for fear that their insurance will go up? Or do they not think that you deserve worker's compensation?

When you get to the heart of the boss's beliefs, it's easier to find the right logic to dispel their concerns of arguments. Each of the above could be easily argued against. If the boss doesn't believe that you were injured on company property, then you could pull up security footage or look for other witnesses who saw your accident. If they think the accident was your fault, it doesn't actually matter; unless you were severely intoxicated or otherwise very negligent, they are still obligated to pay worker's compensation. The same goes if they simply don't want their insurance rates to go up; it's against the law to deny worker's compensation benefits to an employee. Finally, if your employer thinks that your injury is too small to deserve compensation, then you will simply have to get a doctor's recommendation to disprove this.

Document Everything

That brings us to the second point. When you have a combative boss, it's even more important than usual to document everything that happens. Take notes of every conversation. Write down the dates of whenever you take action on your case. Collect photos, witness statements and contact information. Get your medical records and make sure they include notes, dates, and a prognosis.

Hire a Lawyer

A workers compensation lawyer is definitely needed when you have a boss that is not being cooperative on your injury claim. The lawyer will help to apply legal pressure on your boss to comply with the tasks that they must do, such as disclosing their insurance information and giving you a list of providers accepted by their insurance. A workers compensation lawyer also helps to fight for full compensation for you, including your time off compensation and your medical expenses.