When you have a pending car accident claim, you need to be careful with your words because a simple misspeak could jeopardize your claim’s validity. The same is true when you have a pending workers’ compensation claim. Even though workers’ comp is a no-fault system, saying the wrong things can be problematic for you.
Five things you should not say while filing or dealing with a workers’ comp claim are:
- Anything disparaging about your employer: First things first, do not disparage or insult your employer. Many people who have been hurt in a workplace accident want to vent some of their frustrations by talking poorly about their employer, boss, or supervisor. While this might be a natural stress reliever, don’t practice it with anyone involved in your case. Everything that you say during your workers’ comp case will be accessible to your employer and will probably get passed along to them. Assuming you work at will, your employer could terminate you for the disparaging comments. Termination does not end or cancel your workers’ comp benefits, though.
- Anything that hides the origin of your injury: Do not make the common mistake of thinking that workers’ compensation only applies to new injuries. If you had a preexisting injury that was worsened due to your workplace accident, then you can still seek benefits. Do not forget to tell your treating physician about your preexisting injury if it is relevant to your new claim. It could dramatically change how your claim is handled and what benefits become available to you.
- Anything that downplays your injury: The extent and severity of your injury are also important to be upfront about. If your pain level feels like a 10, then say so. If you are having trouble getting ready in the morning because of your injury, then tell the treating physician. You do not accomplish anything in your favor by trying to “tough it out” and minimize what you are going through. Just be honest and don’t downplay anything for the sake of avoiding potential complications.
- Anything rude: There is no benefit to being rude to anyone involved in your workers’ compensation case. Whether you are talking to an insurance adjuster or an independent medical examiner, you should always be polite and courteous. The ruder you are to the people involved in your case, the less effort they will put in to make certain your case is handled correctly and swiftly. This is just good life advice, not really anything specific to your workers’ compensation claim.
- Anything untrue: Of course, you should never lie while working on your workers’ compensation case. Be honest to the best abilities of your memory and knowledge. Intentionally lying or being misleading can be a form of insurance fraud, especially if your misinformation is what allows you to get any or improved benefits. Again, this can be taken as life advice: honesty really is the best policy.
For more information about how to best handle a workers’ comp claim in Illinois, you can call (312) 487-2513 and talk to an attorney from Leonard Law Group. You can also use an online contact form if you prefer.