If you suffer a serious injury or contract a debilitating illness on the job, your employer may have a legal responsibility to compensate you for certain ensuing losses through their workers’ compensation insurance. However, knowing you have access to this kind of coverage and actually taking advantage of that right are two very different things, especially if you have no past experience dealing with insurance providers or Missouri workers’ comp law.
During a private consultation, a knowledgeable lawyer could explain how to apply for workers’ compensation in Sunset Hills. Then, once retained, your dedicated workers’ comp attorney at Longo Biggs Injury Law could provide guidance and support through every step of the claims process, including—if necessary—an appeal of an initial claim rejection.
First Steps in the Workers’ Comp Filing Process
Under Missouri state law, every employer who has five or more full- or part-time employees is required to maintain workers’ compensation insurance coverage. Notably, individuals in certain industries and positions are ineligible for workers’ comp coverage, regardless of the size of the company that employs them, as a well-versed Sunset Hills attorney at Longo Biggs Injury Law could explain.
30 Days after Injury: Notify Employer
Qualifying employees in Sunset Hills who suffer an injury or illness while performing work-related tasks and/or as a direct result of exposure to hazardous conditions at work must notify their employer of their condition as soon as possible, and no more than 30 days after first discovering their injury or illness. At this point, the company must submit their employee’s application and a few other forms with the Workers’ Compensation Division within the Missouri Department of Labor (DOL), and in the meantime provide, the filing employer with options for medical evaluation and short-term treatment.
Two to Four Weeks Later: Benefits Determination is Made
Within two to four weeks, a claimant’s employer and their workers’ comp insurance provider should make a benefits determination for the claimant’s specific injury or illness. Various remediation options are available if a claimant is not satisfied with the compensation initially offered to them. If these options do not lead to a satisfactory outcome, the claimant may proceed with filing a workers’ comp claim with the DOL.
How Long Will the Workers’ Compensation Claims Process Last in Sunset Hills?
Workers’ comp claims have numerous stages as a worker recovers from their injury or illness over time, including:
- Pre-hearings with an administrative law judge
- Hardship hearing to contest early termination of benefits
- Final hearings to resolve or settle a claim after the claimant reaches maximum medical improvement
Depending on how severe the claimant’s condition is, a single claim may remain active for several months or even over a year.
If a claimant is unsatisfied with the final resolution to their claim, they have a maximum of 20 days to file an appeal with the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission. A claim may progress through multiple levels of appeals that, depending on the circumstances, all of which seasoned legal counsel could provide irreplaceable assistance throughout.
Learn More about Applying for Workers’ Comp from a Sunset Hills Attorney
Workers’ compensation claims are complex from start to finish, whether you sustained a short-term injury you can recover from completely or a permanent disability that will prevent you from working in the long term. Even knowing how to apply for workers’ compensation in Sunset Hills effectively can be challenging without support from a legal professional experienced with claims just like yours.
A capable workers’ compensation lawyer could be the ally you need to proactively pursue the benefits you deserve. Call Longo Biggs Injury Law today for a consultation.
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