Common Tactics That Employers Use To Settle Your Workers’ Compensation For Less
Injury at the workplace can be a life-changing experience for many employees. According to Virginia’s law, if you suffer from a work-related injury, your insurance company or employer is entitled to pay for all your medical expenses and other losses you suffer.
However, when you file for a claim, your employer may try their best to ask you to settle your workers’ compensation for less. Often you will be asked to settle your claim worth thousands of dollars for just pennies. To understand all the aspects of the law, here is the ultimate workers compensation guide to workers’ compensation.
Your employer will ask you to settle for less:
When it comes to Workers’ compensation claims, your employer will try their best to pay you as minimum as possible. You may think that the employer’s carrier is paying for the claim and the employer does not have any role, but the truth is, the money is eventually coming out from your employer’s pocket.
Even if your employer is insured, there are chances that the employer will have to pay higher premiums when you make a claim. Therefore, the employer will try their best to ask you to settle your claim for less to save money from their pocket. In most cases, the employer will try to offer you money after your injury immediately and before your lawyer gets involved.
Many employees believe that the amount their employer offers at first is the “most they can get.” However, this is rarely true. Remember, your employer and their insurance carrier will try to work out things to save their money. While you may think they are working for your interest, the harsh reality differs.
So, what’s next?
If your employer is offering you a lump-sum amount for the injury and asks you not to file for a claim, ask the employer to give you a while to think about it. Do not say yes or no to the offer right away.
Talk to an experienced workers’ compensation attorney first. The attorney can handle your case slowly by considering all the factors. Additionally, your employer will avoid anything negative when an attorney represents you. Based on the settlement amount and the average compensation amount, your attorney can handle the claim ensuring that you get the maximum compensation for your injury and other losses you suffered.
