Dedham, MA Workers’ Compensation Lawyer

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Workers’ Compensation cases are complex, and our attorneys can help employees navigate the recovery process in Dedham so they get the appropriate benefits.

In the immediate aftermath of a workplace incident in Dedham, tell your boss or manager. Do not hesitate to call 911 if you need immediate medical assistance, and do your best to photograph the accident scene. As you get medical care and recover in the following days, our lawyers can get evidence to support your case by talking to witnesses and organizing your medical records. Continuing treatment throughout your case is imperative, and having any gaps in your care could result in a claim denial. If your claim gets approved, keep monitoring your condition with help from physicians and the necessary specialists in case the carrier questions your continuing eligibility for lost-wage benefits in Dedham.

The Law Office of John J. Sheehan can assess your case for free when you call our Workers’ Compensation lawyers at (617) 925-6407.

What to Do After an Accident to Help Your Workers’ Compensation Case in Dedham, MA

What you do in the moments, days, weeks, months, and sometimes years after a work-related injury could dictate the outcome of your Workers’ Compensation case and benefits in Dedham. Our attorneys can help injured workers plan their next steps to ensure a fair recovery. Start by reporting the accident to your boss or manager and focusing on your physical well-being.

Immediately Afterward

If you were hurt in a major accident at work, you can, and likely should, call 911, as you may need treatment from paramedics. Workers should still report an accident to their employers or managers for less serious injuries. Only leave your workplace after informing the necessary persons about the accident and your injuries.

Also, before you leave, use your phone to take pictures of the area and the cause of the accident. For example, if the accident left glass or other debris in the area, take pictures of it. Photograph any visible injuries to your person as well.

Then, go to the hospital. If you notice latent injuries from an accident or others, like repetitive motion injuries, get medical attention to confirm your injuries and tell your employer that you cannot come back to work. Latent injuries still warrant Workers’ Compensation benefits, and injured workers should focus on documenting them.

In the Following Days

You might have to remain in the hospital for further testing or treatment in the days following the accident. During this time, our lawyers can work to preserve evidence, such as surveillance footage from your workplace. We can also quickly talk to any other employees who might have witnessed the accident, as their statements can persuade Workers’ Compensation carriers to approve claims in Dedham.

Tell our lawyers everything you can remember about the accident. In Workers’ Compensation cases in Massachusetts, negligence is not the issue. Our lawyers do not need to show that your employer did anything wrong for you to get medical and lost-wage benefits, just that you were injured at work and that you did not intentionally cause your injuries to collect financial support.

Within seven business days of an employee’s fifth day of disability in Dedham, an employer must complete the Employer’s First Report of Injury, Illness, or Death form online with the Department of Industrial Accidents, according to Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 152, § 6. By reporting the accident and your inability to work to your employer immediately, they will have to initiate the Workers’ Compensation process sooner. If you do not inform your employer right away, they will have seven business days from the notification to file the form.

In the Following Weeks

As the days and weeks go on after a work-related accident in Dedham, hurt employees should focus on building medical evidence and getting the proper treatment. Workers’ Compensation insurance carriers base much of their decisions on claimants’ medical records and whether or not those records prove a victim’s inability to return to work, even if only temporarily. If you stop getting treatment at any time before your Workers’ Compensation claim is approved, the carrier might note that and delay or deny your claim.

While you receive treatment, our Workers’ Compensation lawyers can help with requesting records from hospitals and providers and carefully organizing them to submit to the carrier. We can also confirm your wage information during this time to calculate your anticipated weekly benefit amount. We can then refer to these calculations if the carrier offers you a lump sum settlement to ensure it is fair.

When processing your claim in Dedham, the carrier might require an evaluation from another physician. This is permitted under § 45. If claimants refuse to undergo these medical evaluations, carriers might deny their claims, even if their medical records from other physicians show seriously disabling injuries.

In the Following Months and Years

After Workers’ Compensation carriers approve claims in Dedham, they might routinely check in with claimants to assess their current medical conditions and continued eligibility for benefits. This happens more often in permanent and total disability cases, where claimants might get benefits for the rest of their lives unless their disability improves.

Regardless of the type of disability benefits you get, you likely rely on them to support yourself and your family after an on-the-job injury. Workers’ Compensation carriers can periodically require medical evaluations to confirm claimants are still eligible. If you refuse a medical evaluation when mandated, your benefits may be suspended for that period of time. By keeping tabs on your medical condition after your Workers’ Compensation claim gets approved, you can provide a carrier with any updated information regarding your continuing eligibility, should it request such information at a later date.