If you are ever injured at work you may need to file a Connecticut workers’ compensation claim in order to cover your time away from work. Did you know that a claim may also cover your medical expenses that you accrued while being diagnosed and recovering from your injury?
Medical expenses can be one of the most daunting things that you may face after you’ve experienced an injury in the workplace. It can be scary to be injured and then to have to deal with doctor’s visits and hospital stays on top of that can create another layer of anxiety and difficulty that you may not have the capacity to handle at the time. This is to say nothing of the financial outlay that it could cost trying to be seen by providers to get your injury healed so you can go back to work.
There is good news, even in what might be your darkest hours, your medical expenses can be covered when you file a claim. While every situation is different, medical expenses should always be a part of your claim. Any injury is likely to require some medical attention and if you are filing a workers’ compensation claim a diagnosis of your condition as well as a recovery plan may be required to be fully compensated for your injuries.
Here is a list, though not comprehensive of what medical expenses you may expect to be covered when you’ve been injured at work;
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Doctor’s visits. The simplest medical expense that is covered and one that many workers’ compensation claims include because at a bare minimum a basic doctor’s visit may be required to determine eligibility for compensation. While some injuries require multiple doctor’s visits they may all be covered as a medical expense when filing a claim after you were hurt at work.
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Hospital stays. If your injury is significant enough that it will require you to stay in a hospital for any length of time your benefits may cover this stay. This includes everything from the room and board for the stay, meals and medications while you’re in the hospital. This should all be documented as your healing process continues.
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Surgery. As the next stage of severity of your injury, if you need surgery to take care of the injury that you suffered, all appointments and procedures associated with the injury and the surgery may be covered.
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Physical therapy. If, after your injury has begun to heal you need physical therapy to get yourself back to the place where you can work again this may be covered by your workers’ compensation claim. Not only may sessions with a physical therapist be covered, but any equipment or supplies that you need in the course of your recovery may also be covered.
Other expenses that may be included as you approach recovery are medications, diagnostic tests, travel expenses and even, in some cases, home modifications.
It is important to note that all Connecticut workers’ compensation claims are different and they all may require different medical attention. From your initial reporting of your injury to your supervisor, which should happen as soon as the injury occurs, all the way through full recovery may need medical expenses to be covered and therefore they should be included in your claim.
When you’re injured at your job you may need to speak with someone experienced and who is a board certified workers’ compensation attorney. Contact our office to speak with one of our attorneys who can speak with you to understand your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.
