You can help yourself a lot in your work injury case if you do the right thing early in the case.
First of all make sure that you file an accident report as soon as possible. This will make it clear that your accident happened, when it happened, and what body parts you injured.
Second, go to a doctor as soon as possible. Delay will give the insurance company an argument that you were not injured or you were not injured badly.
Third, tell all medical personnel that your accident was a work injury, how you were injured and what body parts you injured. This will prevent the insurance company from arguing that you were injured at home, away from the job, or that you have no idea how you were hurt.
Fourth, follow your doctors treatment recommendations. Workers’ Compensation insurance companies will use failure to treat against you and argue that you are the cause of your condition getting worse.
Fifth, do not do anything beyond your work restrictions. Many Work Comp insurance companies will hire investigators to follow you and video tape your activities at home and around town. Videos of activities that show you dancing when you have a back injury, or working on your roof will severely damage your case.
Questions about your work injury? Feel free to contact Illinois Work Comp Attorney Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.