In Virginia, businesses with more than three employees are required to carry workers’ compensation coverage. Note that workers’ compensation is a no-fault coverage, which means even if a worker had part fault in the accident, he/she is entitled to the benefits, as long as there is an association between the injury and work. If you have been recently injured at the workplace and believe that you deserve compensation, consider contacting a Richmond workers’ compensation attorney at the earliest. For your help, below is an overview of how workers’ compensation works in Virginia.
Filing the claim
The claim must be filed with Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission, and not merely with the insurance company. Many workers often claim that they didn’t get a response, and that’s because the employer or insurance company are not required to respond. It typically takes for the Commission a minimum of 10 days to respond. It must be noted that pursuing the claim is the task for injured workers. You may not know anything about workers’ compensation, but it is still your responsibility. This is also the precise reason why you need an attorney.
Claims do get denied in VA
That’s correct. There can be many reasons why your claim can be denied. In Virginia, specific risk matters, which means that the injuries should be a result of an accident that’s related to your work. For instance, if you had a heart attack during lunch hour, your claim may be denied. Every case is unique and can have specific circumstances, so contact your lawyer to know more. Also, you have 30 days to report the incident to your employer from the date of the accident.
Should you hire an attorney?
Workers’ Compensation may seem easy on paper, but there are various things that determine the actual compensation you deserve. Remember that the insurance adjuster just wants to reduce liability of the company they work for, so they are not invested in your case. Employers are known for unexpected behavior when it comes to company reputation.
Make sure that you have an attorney by your side to get the benefits under Workers’ Compensation that you deserve.
