Whether you are a nurse working at any one of Akron’s hospitals or you are a distribution worker at a local facility, Akron workplaces can be dangerous. A slip or fall or a strained back from lifting a heavy load is not only painful, but it can also keep you from returning to work for weeks or longer.
When you are denied workers’ compensation benefits following a workplace injury, you could be left to shoulder the financial burden alone. An Akron workers’ compensation attorney can help you when your claim for benefits is delayed or denied — and help ensure your claim proceeds smoothly when you hire us from the beginning.
Slater & Zurz is dedicated to hard-working residents of Akron like yourself who are hurt at work and denied the benefits the law provides them. Contact our office today to learn more about how we can help you get the workers’ comp benefits you deserve.
Compensation for Workplace Accidents in Akron
Ohio’s workers’ compensation laws provide a means for people who get hurt or become ill on the job to recover compensation. This compensation is meant to address:
- Medical bills that you might incur while being treated
- A portion of your wages that you cannot earn due to your injury
- Funeral and death benefits to survivors of a person killed while at work
- Permanent disability benefits, if you are not able to return to work
Accessing these benefits is meant to be a simple process so that, in the event of a workplace mishap, you can get compensation quickly. Unfortunately, this does not always happen, and there may be several reasons why your claim for workers’ compensation benefits are delayed or denied.
When your claim is denied, an experienced Ohio workers’ comp attorney may be able to provide you with a solution.
How to Access Workers’ Compensation Benefits After an Accident on the Job
There are not many steps involved in applying for workers’ compensation benefits. Failing to take these steps, though, can cause benefits to be delayed or even denied. These steps include:
Seek Medical Attention Right Away
If your injuries are severe, or you become violently ill, do not wait to get help. Ask for help getting to the nearest emergency room, or call 911 for emergency medical assistance. If the injury or illness is not life-threatening, you should still make your way to your doctor’s office as soon as possible.
Besides improving your prognosis, seeking care as soon as possible can benefit your workers’ compensation claim. Obtaining medical attention and care soon after your injury or illness develops helps show that it is connected to your employment and thus compensable under the workers’ compensation program.
Notify Your Employer
As soon as you can do so, notify your employer of your workplace accident or incident. Preferably, this should be done in writing.
Advise your employer of what happened and the injuries you sustained. If you have already obtained medical care, let your employer know that you have done so and any work restrictions under which you have been placed.
Your employer should then notify its workers’ compensation insurer of your incident.
File Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
At the same time that it notifies the insurer, your employer should also file your workers’ comp claim with the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation (BWC). In the event, your employer fails to do this or delays in doing so, you, a representative, or your Akron workers’ compensation attorney can file the claim with the BWC on your behalf.
No matter who takes responsibility for filing the claim, it is important that the claim is filed within one year of your accident or illness. The quicker you file your claim, though, the sooner you can receive benefits if your claim is approved.
Appeal a Denial of Your Claim
The insurer will inform you if your claim for workers’ comp benefits is denied. Common reasons, why your claim might be denied, include the lack of a connection between your injury or illness and your work, missing deadlines for submitting paperwork, or the reported injuries and the accident reports not aligning.
You have the right to appeal a denial of your claim. You should get help from a qualified workers’ comp attorney to help you if you have not already retained one. Your lawyer will be able to determine why your claim was denied and determine an appropriate strategy for appealing the adverse decision.
Why Trust Slater & Zurz with Your Workers’ Comp Claim
There are numerous reasons to turn to Slater & Zurz when you need a skilled Akron workers’ compensation lawyer. Our clients benefit from a firm with:
- Over 30 years of experience helping clients in Akron and throughout Ohio
- A record of more than 40,000 clients and 35,000 personal injury cases
- Numerous awards recognizing our team’s excellence
- Over 800 five-star reviews on Google
Slater & Zurz prides itself on providing exceptional service and communication to our
workers’ comp clients. See the difference in having our Akron workers’ compensation
attorneys on your case can make.
Types of Workers Comp Cases We Handle
No matter your circumstances, a Slater & Zurz workers’ comp attorney can bring experience and talent to address your situation. Our personal injury lawyers have helped injured Ohio workers receive workers’ compensation benefits where they:
- Suffered catastrophic or permanently disabling injuries on the job
- Became ill due to exposure to a toxic substance or hazardous
- Have questions about how to file their claims when their employers did not
- Received a denial of their claim or did not receive the benefits they anticipated
Whether you are just starting out with filing your claim or your claim has already been denied and you need relief, we are here to help. Call Slater & Zurz at (330) 762-0700 today.
Experienced Workers’ Comp Legal Assistance Is Within
Reach
You do not need to figure out the Ohio worker’s compensation system yourself. Let the skilled team of Akron personal injury lawyers at Slater & Zurz come alongside you to assist you during your time of need.
We are committed to helping you pursue your claim and obtain the financial benefits the law affords you. Do not delay any longer. Contact Slater & Zurz at (330) 762-0700 to protect your rights today.