Your Rights After Workers Compensation in Rhode Island

Support and guidance after you’re ready to return to work

If you’ve been injured at work, it’s critical for you to understand all your rights related to workers compensation. By working with a dedicated Rhode Island workers compensation attorney, you give yourself the best chance at a successful claim and at navigating certain challenges that may arise once you return to work. At the Law Offices of Charles Garganese, Jr., LLC, we leverage our experience representing thousands of injured workers across Rhode Island to provide sound legal guidance on a number of key issues related to workplace accidents.

What are your rights after a workplace injury?

After a workplace injury, one of the first steps is to file a claim for workers compensation benefits. You’ll likely qualify as long as your employer carries workers compensation insurance, you were a formal employee at the time of the accident, and your injury was directly related to your work. However, the insurance company may unfairly deny your claim or cut off benefits before you are able to return to work. In either of these situations, you have a right to contest the decision, and working closely with a skilled workers compensation lawyer can greatly benefit your case.

Even after you have recovered and are able to return to your job, you may face additional issues. For example, your employer may attempt to retaliate against you for filing the claim and forcing the company to pay for compensation. Your employer might also engage in illegal practices like unfairly passing over you for promotions or wrongfully terminating your employment. These are forms of harassment and workplace discrimination, and it may be necessary to file a lawsuit against your employer to correct the situation. You should never have to suffer undue consequences because you filed for workers compensation benefits after a workplace accident.

Dealing with denied or delayed benefits

Providing compensation after a work injury is expensive for both employers and insurance companies, so they sometimes attempt to reduce their costs by denying or delaying benefits to injured workers. Common reasons for denied claims include the following:

• Failure to file on time. Insurers may argue that you did not immediately notify your employer about your injury. This is why it’s important to report any accidents that occur at work right away to your supervisor, even if you don’t think your injury is very serious at first.
• Claim disputes. Your employer may dispute the fact that your injury occurred at work and claim that it instead occurred while you were at home or off the clock.
• Disagreements regarding injury severity. Insurance companies and employers may argue that your injury is not serious enough to cause you to miss work. Visiting a doctor and obtaining the proper medical records can help you dispute this claim.

When confronted with a denied claim, your first step should be to contact an experienced workers compensation attorney and to no longer personally discuss the claim with the insurance carrier.  Over the past 30 years Attorney Garganese has assisted clients with countless denied claim that were denied for all possible reasons.

Consult a respected Providence workers compensation attorney

After a serious workplace injury, speak with an experienced lawyer at the Law Offices of Charles Garganese, Jr., LLC We serve injured workers throughout Rhode Island, including Providence and Kent counties. Call us today at 401-352-4431 or contact us online.