Each year, thousands of Coloradans are injured in the workplace. Some suffer devastating injuries in an explosion or a fall, while others develop occupational illnesses that take months or years to manifest.
If you have been injured on the job, you need to notify your employer. Doing so will protect your right to workers’ compensation benefits and also protect the safety of your colleagues. If you delay your report, then you might not receive any workers’ comp benefits. If you have questions, reach out to a Grand Junction workplace injury lawyer for assistance.
Deadline for Providing Notification to an Employer
Under Colorado law, you have only 4 days from the date of injury to notify your employer. If you wait longer, then you can possibly be penalized benefits on a day-for-day basis. For example, if you wait 10 days, then you can lose up to 6 days of benefits because you went 6 days over the deadline.
Form of Notification
Injured workers must notify their employer in writing. Check to see if your employer has a form that you must use. Ask your supervisor or check with Human Resources. You must provide written notice even if you gave your employer oral notice of the accident and your injuries.
Of course, you might be badly injured and immediately taken to the hospital. If necessary, someone else can notify your employer on your behalf. Ask anyone, such as a spouse or child, to file the report for you so that your employer has adequate notice.
Choose a Medical Provider
Your employer has the ability to restrict who you meet with. Your employer might keep a designated provider list of doctors you get to choose from. If so, you must pick someone from the list. This person is your designated provider. If you choose not to use a designated provider, you could be denied workers’ compensation benefits.
When you meet with your doctor, be sure to tell him or her that you were injured at work. Also make sure to be complete and accurate about the symptoms that you are suffering. An insurer will look closely at your medical records to see if you reported symptoms that are consistent with your injuries.
Understand Your Employer’s Obligations
After you provide proper notice to your employer, they should notify their workers’ comp insurer of the accident and injury. They have 10 days to do so. If you suspect that your employer has not filed the necessary report, then you can remind them or contact an attorney for assistance.
Meet with a Grand Junction Workplace Injury Attorney
Cimarron Ridge Legal Group has been helping injured workers for years. We can help you access the compensation you need to help provide for your family and pay for medical expenses.
In some situations, you might also be able to bring a lawsuit against the person or business who injured you. These types of third-party claims can augment skimpy workers’ compensation benefits.
Please contact us today. You can speak to one of our Grand Junction attorneys by scheduling a free, no-obligation initial consultation.