Teacher Job Injury And Workers' Compensation
If you are a teacher, and you get injured on the job or suffer a work-related medical condition or illness, report it to your employer immediately. Whether or not you lose time from work, you should report any accidents, injuries, or illness you think may be work-related to your supervisor. By not filing a claim at the time, you may have trouble getting benefits later on if problems occur. Therefore, it pays to understand your rights when it comes to filing a workers' compensation claim.
How Long You Have to File a Claim
Although it's best to report an accident that occurs on school property or while you were doing your job as soon as possible, state workers' compensation laws vary by state. However, in many states, you have up to 30 days. Some states give you longer.
When you report an incident, such as a fall, school place violence, job-related stress, or back or leg problems due to standing for long periods of time, your employer will then notify the state board of workers' compensation. In some states, you are responsible for filing the claim with the workers' compensation board.
If you fail to report an injury or work-related illness from the start, you may have trouble getting medical benefits later on, should your situation get worse. Your state's statute of limitations allows you a specific period of from the date of an accident or receiving the diagnosis of a work-related illness to file a claim, but if you wait for too long, your claim could be denied.
What to Do in an Emergency
If your injury requires you to go to a hospital emergency department, tell the doctors treating you that you were injured at work. The doctor will need to fill out and submit Form C-4—the initial doctor's report—to the workers' compensation board. If you require continued treatment, the doctor must submit Form C-4.2.
Even if you don't require immediate emergency treatment, it's important to see an authorized provider for medical treatment related to the injury. An authorized workers' compensation doctor experienced in treating workers' comp injuries can help make the process go easier.
How to File a Claim
After reporting the incident to your employer, the next step in filing a claim is to complete the Form C-3—Employee Claim—and submit it to the compensation board. If you are uncertain how to proceed, a workers' compensation lawyer like http://mcmullenochs.com can help you fill out the necessary paperwork and advise you on what comes next.
Benefits You Can Receive
If you win your workers' compensation case, workers' compensation insurance will pay your medical expenses and some of your lost wages for missing work because of a work-related injury or illness. You may also get back any sick days you took related to the injury or illness prior to filing a claim. Should you suffer a permanent disability that keeps you from returning to work, you may be entitled to additional compensation.