Workers’ Compensation Application Process in Keokuk
Guiding Keokuk Employees Through the Workers’ Compensation Application Process
Have you been injured at work or while on the clock? You may already know you may be entitled to benefits under your employer’s workers’ compensation insurance policy, but you may be less aware of how to actually get the money you deserve.
At the Pothitakis Law Firm, we are prepared to guide you through each stage of the workers’ compensation application process in Keokuk. Our skilled attorney has over 20 years of experience handling these claims and has recovered over $100 million for injured Iowans. We understand how insurance companies assess cases and will leverage this knowledge to put your claim in the best possible position. If your claim is denied or you are offered less than what your injuries demand, we will fervently advocate for you and fight to deliver just compensation. You pay nothing unless we win.
Not sure how to file a workers’ compensation claim? Contact us online or call (319) 318-0450 to schedule a free initial consultation. Se habla español.
How Do I Get Workers’ Compensation Benefits in Keokuk, Iowa?
First, keep in mind that only part-time and full-time employees are eligible for workers’ compensation. Private employers with at least one employee are typically required to purchase a policy in Iowa, so if you work for a private company and are classified as an employee, you are likely covered.
To start the workers’ compensation application process in Keokuk, you must report your work-related injury to your employer within 90 days of discovering the injury. Benefits may be denied if you wait too long to tell your employer, so it is wise to inform them as quickly as possible.
If you were injured in an on-the-job accident, this time limit will be clear and unambiguous. You generally have 90 days from the date of the accident to make your report. Workers’ compensation insurance also covers repetitive strain injuries and occupational illnesses, however, which can complicate things. These conditions do not arise all at once and take time to develop. Furthermore, you may not immediately assume they are work-related. In these situations, you usually have 90 days from the date you realized (or reasonably should have realized) your condition could be work-related.
Once your employer receives your report, they are obligated to file a First Report of Injury with their insurance carrier and the Iowa Division of Workers’ Compensation within four days. The insurance company will process the claim and decide whether to grant benefits.
My Workers’ Compensation Claim Was Denied. Now What?
Some workers’ compensation claims will be approved without much or any conflict. If the insurance company agrees to pay benefits, you can start receiving disability payments on the 11th day after you became disabled. You will also receive compensation for lost wages and all applicable medical treatment, though keep in mind that your employer gets to choose your providers.
Other claims may be partially or completely denied on one of several grounds. If you sustained several injuries, the insurance company may recognize one injury but not the others, for example. They could also claim you do not qualify for benefits or that you broke a procedural rule.
Whatever the stated reason for the denial, you will need to take additional steps to get benefits, and you only have a certain amount of time to take action. If you have received no benefits to date, you only have two years from the date you discovered your work-related injury to file a formal appeal. If you have received any benefits, you have three years from the date of your last payment to appeal.
A formal appeal is not always necessary. A lawyer familiar with the workers’ compensation application process in Keokuk may be able to directly negotiate with the insurance company and facilitate an acceptable settlement. If this is not possible, an appeal will trigger an administrative hearing where you and your legal representation will have the opportunity to present evidence, testimony, and arguments.
At the Pothitakis Law Firm, our goal is to get you the compensation you need as swiftly and painlessly as possible. We are ready to work with you from the beginning and will be there to support you every step of the way.
If you are offered anything less than a fair settlement that appropriately compensates you for your injuries, call (319) 318-0450 or contact us online to discuss your case with our team.
Our Case Results
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$1 Million Workers Slip and Fall
After hearing, the Deputy Workers’ Compensation Commissioner entered an award fully in favor of the Claimant finding him permanently and totally disabled. The Decision resulted in an award with the present value of in excess of $1 million. In addition, the Defendants were ordered to pay the Claimant’s medical expenses for the remainder of his life.
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$450,000 Partial Commutation
In 2013, our client was a truck driver who was fatally injured in a tragic auto accident. He was married at the time and as a result his wife was entitled to Workers’ Compensation benefits. Those benefits would end upon her death or shortly after she were to remarry. The surviving spouse was finding it difficult to live on the weekly Workers’ Compensation benefits and for other reasons wanted to have the money paid in a lump sum.
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Workers’ Comp Appeal Results in Settlement
Pothitakis Law Firm pursued this claim for in excess of three and a half years. Mr. Pothitakis conferenced with the claimant’s doctors and obtained reports over those years to put the claimant in the best position to obtain a favorable result at hearing. When the initial decision was inappropriate, Pothitakis Law Firm filed an appeal and was successful on that appeal.