If you have been injured at work, you will need to report your injury and see a doctor from a list provided by your employer. After that, you will be assigned a worker’s comp claims adjuster. The job of a worker’s comp adjuster is to assess your injury, determine if the injury is valid, follow up with a case manager and get you back to work if possible. The adjuster will want details on how the injury happened, when and where it took place and anything that may be relevant to the injury. This is where it can get tricky. Many things you say can be used to limit your payouts on the claim or deny it altogether. We have compiled this list of top 10 things not to say to your worker’s comp adjuster for just that reason. While these are not all inclusive, they will give you an idea of how you may proceed when answering their questions.
A worker’s comp is an insurance company so while they are tasked with the management and oversight of your claim, they are also tasked with damage control. They will look for any type of fraud, misuse or extended work outage. The reasons for this are simple. The sooner the insurance company (worker’s comp) can get you back to work, they are removing you from their payouts and back to the employer’s payroll.
When you are injured at work, there are some things the adjuster is going to ask. Here are our top 10 things NOT to say to your Worker’s Comp adjuster.
- Well, I was actually hurt at home playing basketball with my son but then it got worse at work.
- I was in a car accident about a month ago and since then it started to bother me. Then I lifted that X and it’s been a major issue since then.
- Yes, I will sign this before I speak with a lawyer.
- I shouldn’t have taken that medication before work. I knew it would make me sleepy!
- Well I guess I should tell you now that we are talking and all, I was really drunk (or high) that day! I don’t EVEN know how I made it home! or I always smoke a joint prior to working. It helps me focus. It was not my fault they left the loose shingle on the roof causing me to fall.
- This injury sure feels a lot like the one I had two years ago that forced me to get surgery.
- I thought it would be funny if I pretended to pull John’s chair out from under him. When he did it to me and I fell I never thought I would injure my back so bad. (horseplay)
- Under no circumstances do I want surgery.
- I just want what is fair. I don’t want to sue you.
- The lawyers I spoke with said you can’t just stop my checks.
Some of these will harm your case because they speak to previous injuries. That will cause a delay in worker’s comp payments, at best and your claim could be denied completely. Others in this list place the blame on the injury at your own hands such as taking drugs or drinking while at on the job. Finally, others send a message to the worker’s comp adjuster that they can take advantage of your financial situation.
For more information about how your should handle your ongoing worker’s comp case, or how to handle a new injury while on the job, check out the following article. Reach out to us at the number at the top of the page or by visiting our contact page.
Ty has over 20 years working to provide employees help when they are injured on the job.
