You were injured at work in Cedar Rapids and want to claim workers’ compensation benefits. In the ideal world, you would expect to get the due benefits without much fuss. However, you need to understand how the whole system works. Iowa is a no-fault state. You don’t have to prove that your company was responsible for your condition to get the benefits. However, remember that your benefits are paid by the insurance company, and these companies often find many reasons to deny claims. Consider talking to a workers’ comp lawyer in Cedar Rapids to ensure that you don’t end up falling for insurance tactics. In this post, we are sharing why workers’ comp claims are denied in Iowa.
- The employer denies the employee-employer relationship. In order to get workers’ comp benefits, you must be an employee of the company. Depending on the circumstances, your employer may deny that you share an employee-employer relationship with the company as you are an independent contractor. Talk to a lawyer because they can help determine whether you can still get the anticipated benefits.
- Your injuries don’t qualify for workers’ compensation benefits. Insurance companies often deny claims on this ground alone. The claims adjuster may claim that you had a pre-existing condition or that the injury is not such that you should get financial compensation. Even if you had a prior injury, you could get the benefits if your work aggravated the same. In such cases, the opinions of your doctor will matter the most.
- The injury is not related to your work. The insurance company may also say that the injury you have endured did not result from your job. Because such situations are tricky, you need to focus on your claim and evidence, for which an attorney can help.
- You didn’t inform your employer. There is a statute of limitations that applies to workers’ compensation claims. As per Iowa laws, you are required to inform the employer immediately after the mishap or within 90 days. If you reported the matter to your employer, but they failed to act, you should consider seeking legal expertise.
Because insurance companies care for nothing but premiums, you cannot expect the claims adjuster to be fair to you. Consider hiring a reliable and seasoned workers’ comp lawyer at the earliest, and you can check online to find top law firms in Cedar Rapids. Talk to an attorney for a free case review.