Each state has established a process for filing a workers’ compensation claim. The differences between the states when filing a claim concern deadlines and how to submit a claim for financial assistance. Working with the attorney assigned to your case by Morgan and Morgan helps you gain an understanding of the process you must follow according to state law.
However, the workers’ compensation process for each of the 49 states that mandate coverage includes the following steps.
Receive Medical Attention
Since carpal tunnel patients frequently experience delayed development of symptoms, you might not experience pain, weakness, and/or numbness right away. The delayed symptoms of carpal tunnel syndrome can make it difficult to prove workplace activities caused the medical condition. When you start feeling the symptoms of carpal tunnel, seek medical attention to create a paper trail that proves you underwent diagnostic tests, as well as completed treatment programs and physical therapy sessions.
Contact Morgan and Morgan for a Free Case Evaluation
Before you inform your employer, submit a claim, or interact with your employer’s insurance company, you should schedule a free case evaluation with one of the accomplished workers’ compensation lawyers at Morgan and Morgan. The attorney you meet with will answer the question, “Can you get workers’ comp for carpal tunnel,” as well as devise a legal strategy to submit the most persuasive claim. Because of how difficult it can be to prove that work-related activities caused you to develop carpal tunnel symptoms, filing a claim without the legal support of an experienced attorney can lead to the denial of your claim.
Let Your Employer Know
One common step required by every one of the 49 states that require employers to purchase workers’ compensation insurance is for employees to inform their employers about a workplace accident that produced injuries. Most states give workers up to 30 days to inform employers, but you should act with a sense of urgency to speed up the claim process. Your lawyer will explain whether you also have to file a copy of your claim with the state workers’ compensation board.
Your employer completes an accident report, as well as describes your rights according to your state’s workers’ compensation statutes. You also should receive the documents you need to file a claim for financial assistance.
Complete and Submit the Claim Form
One of the most important roles of a workers’ compensation attorney is to ensure you file a complete and accurate claim. Just one mistake or one empty section will prompt your employer’s insurance company to deny your claim. For example, if you forget to sign the claim, your employer’s insurance company will deny your claim for financial assistance.
After you complete the claim, your employer is required by law to file the claim for you to initiate the review stage of the workers’ compensation process.
Insurer Issues a Decision
Because carpal tunnel claims involve several complex medical issues, your claim might take longer to move through the insurance company’s review process. The insurance company examining your claim will want to know if any outside-of-work activities contributed to the development of carpal tunnel syndrome. For example, if you spend considerable time playing computer games, the insurance adjuster reviewing your case might dispute the origins of your carpal tunnel symptoms.
Working with one of the highly-skilled litigators at Morgan and Morgan helps strengthen your workers’ comp claim for carpal tunnel syndrome.
Get Back to Work
The workers’ compensation program is not a long-term solution to financial distress issues like paying off costly medical bills. If your carpal tunnel symptoms force you out of work permanently, then you should file a claim for disability benefits with the Social Security Administration (SSA). Most carpal tunnel cases related to workplace activities eventually end with the employee returning to work in some capacity.
The job that you work in after healing from carpal tunnel symptoms should not involve any repetitive motion activities.