Start Your Claim by Telling Your Employer
If you were hurt at work — and now you can’t work — you need help paying for medical care and covering basic expenses. You’re entitled to workers’ compensation benefits.
The way you start your claim for benefits is to tell your boss about your injury right away.
Louisiana law gives you 30 days to report your workplace accident or injury to your employer. If you wait too long, you could lose the chance to get help.
If you have any questions about how workers’ comp works in your situation, give us a call at Mitchell & Associates. We’ll conduct an initial assessment of your case for free
Your Employer Should Make a Report
Once you’ve informed your employer what happened to you, it’s their obligation to make a report officially launching your claim.
In Louisiana, your employer is required by law to submit Form LWC-WC IA-1, called the “Employers First Report of Injury or Illness,” to the Louisiana Office of Workers’ Compensation.
This notifies both state government and your employer’s workers’ comp insurance company about your accident.
Ask your employer for a copy of their first report of injury. It’s good to have for your records – and it shows your boss that you’re well informed about workers’ comp claims!
To Maximize Your Claim, Get a Lawyer
Workers’ comp insurance companies are more interested in making a profit than paying you everything you deserve.
Your employer might be more interested in keeping their workers’ comp insurance premiums low than helping you recover. They might dispute your accident and refuse to pay for medical treatment and lost wages.
Insurance claims adjusters want to finish your case as fast as they can instead of maximizing your benefits.
Keep copies of reports from your employer. Write down details about how your injury happened. Make a list of witnesses. And call us.
Getting a lawyer helps ensure that nobody shortchanges you.
At Mitchell & Associates, we know how the workers’ comp system works and how to make a successful claim for you.
