Workers’ compensation can provide medical coverage and lost wage benefits to injured or ill employees. Even though an employee may clearly suffer from a serious injury or illness, they may not be approved for benefits. Families may struggle financially because an employee is not able to work or receive benefits and, as a result, is paying for medical costs and other expenses out-of-pocket.
Even though a claim was denied, an injured or ill worker may still be eligible for benefits after filing an appeal. Here is what you should know:
Understand the appeal process
The appeal process allows injured workers to make a claim to have their workers’ compensation case reviewed by a higher authority. A worker can file an appeal if they receive a denial letter and believe that there was a mistake.
To file a workers’ compensation appeal letter, it is important for an employee to understand why they received a denial in the first place. The claim may have been denied for a few reasons, such as missing medical information, failure to report an accident or suspicion of self-inflicted wounds. For a successful appeal, a worker may need to gather appropriate evidence to support their claim, including specific medical documents.
An appeal letter, typically, must be filed to the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation within 14 days after the denial letter is received. Failing to make the appeal within the deadline can prevent a worker from receiving their benefits. Workers may fear that they will not be approved for benefits even after filing an appeal. Legal guidance can help injured or ill workers increase the chance they receive those benefits.