Workers’ compensation insurers often deny legitimate claims, forcing good and honest employees to retain a lawyer and go through the workers’ compensation system to receive any benefits at all.

When your employer rejects your claim, it is frustrating. The good news is that you have the right to file an appeal. Why are claims denied?

Here are some common reasons why workers’ compensation insurers may deny cases:

The worker didn’t report their injury immediately

Sometimes employees delay telling their employer about their injuries. The injured worker may go home, where they realize the injury is more serious than they realized, and wait to tell their employer the next day when they go back into work. This is a big mistake. If you don’t tell your employer about your injury as soon as possible, your employer may say you were not truly injured in the workplace and may try to deny your claim. As soon as you get hurt, tell your employer exactly where and how your injury occurred.

The worker was intoxicated

Some employers attempt to deny claims based on alcohol and drug tests. They can use a positive test to claim that you were intoxicated at the time of the accident, and say that your case should be denied. An experienced workers comp lawyer can help to appeal these denials.

There is inconsistency between the accident report and initial medical records

If you tell your supervisor one thing about your accident, but tell your doctor something that contradicts your original story, your employer may call into question the legitimacy of your claim. Make sure you are honest and thorough in your reporting. Make sure both your doctor and your employer have all the facts of the accident.

You didn’t hire a Workers’ Compensation lawyer

A skilled lawyer will make sure you file all the necessary paperwork and meet all the critical deadlines. An experienced attorney will also know how to gather and present the evidence supporting your case, and the best strategies of negotiating with insurance companies.

We are experienced and client-focused trial attorneys. We have handled well over 30,000 claims for injured workers throughout the state of Illinois. For immediate help with a work injury case, call (312) 726-5567 for a free consultation or contact us online.