Don't Let Chatter of Rising Work Injury Costs Dissuade You From Filing a Claim

Following the overhaul of California's Workers' Compensation system, there was a lot of chatter in the press about the rising costs of workers' compensation claims.  In many inaccurate stories, people pointed to workers' compensation attorneys as a reason why injury claim costs were skyrocketing as of late.  However, when you look at the costs of filing a work injury claim, the expense is generally spread across a number of important factors that determine whether an injured employee may be able to collect on a work injury claim.

Reasons for Rising Costs of Work Injury Claims

When it comes to work injury claims, costs are sometimes egregious.  There is a stereotype that if it weren't for the lawyers, claimants would be less expensive and therefore get more money.  However, this is simply untrue.  Soaring work injury claim costs come from a variety of different factors, including:

• The high price of medical care.  As medical costs increase, work injury claims increase in costs due to required care.
• Judicial oversight of a work injury claim.  When judges get more involved in the work injury claim, often they will schedule more status meetings, want to send the work injury claimant to the doctor more, and oversee the progress of such a claim.  This can help drive costs up significantly.
• Reduced staffing sizes, contributing to less attention per work injury claim and increased costs per claim.

How this Affects Employees Injured at Work

If you have been injured at work, you could be afraid to file a work injury claim due to this kind of chatter.  Out of fear of losing their job, many employees attempt to just grin and bear it.  However, this could be extremely damaging to the employee, exacerbating a medical condition and contributing to an inability to work.  

Additionally, employees injured at work could feel pressured to just file a work injury claim themselves without adequate representation.  In many of these cases, these unrepresented employees get their claims denied.  If you're suffering from a work injury, the last thing you want to do is go up against an insurance company yourself and then walk away with nothing.  This could be devastating to not only your health, but to your financial health. 

If you've suffered a work injury, it's important that you seek out legal help to obtain the best possible results.  Call a skilled work injury lawyer today to obtain the help you need.