How To Handle A Denied Workers' Comp Claim

If you were seriously hurt on the job, then you probably filed a workers' comp claim. However, if your claim was denied, you might not be sure what to do next. Should you drop the issue? Should you appeal the denial? To help you figure out the best course of action, here are some tips for handling a denied workers' comp claim:

Is an Appeal Right for You?

First you want to decide if an appeal is the right course of action for you now. Since your claim has already been denied, you should know that the appeal will be an uphill battle. If you don't think your cases is particularly strong, then now might be a good time to cut your losses and move on. You don't want to spend more time and energy on a claim if your injury was fairly minor or if you have no real evidence to support your claim.

Read the Instructions

If you decide to start the appeal process, the first thing you want to do is peruse all the information that has been given to you. The rejection should have been accompanied by some guidelines on how you can go about an appeal. You might have skimmed over this stuff already, but you really want to pay attention to any specific dates. These deadlines are very important if you do decide to appeal, since missing a deadline can torpedo your appeal.

Contact the Provider

You want to talk to the workers' comp provider about the denial, particularly if you think that you had a good claim. There is a slim chance that there was an error in the processing of your claim, and they might have missed some key documents that proved your claim. Furthermore, if you have any questions about the appeal process, you want to talk to the provider. A little clarity now can make or break your case later.

Gather More Evidence

If your claim was not denied by mistake, then you will need to prepare a case that will prove your claim. You're going to need more evidence than you currently have, but that isn't necessarily as difficult as you might think. You may have omitted some minor medical document that seemed irrelevant but might actually be the key to your case. For maximum effectiveness, you should go through all of your medical documentation with a workers' comp lawyer since they will know exactly what to look for.