Learning How To Recover

3 Things To Avoid When Receiving Workers Compensation

6 October 2015 by Susie Torres

You've been sent home with a work-related injury. Now you're collecting workers compensation and worried about the future. The first thing you should do is speak to an attorney – even if you don't plan on retaining legal counsel.

An attorney will help you understand your rights as an injured worker. They'll also help you avoid costly mistakes while you're recovering from your injuries. During your recovery time, the insurance company will be keeping track of you. They'll want to make sure that your injuries are as severe as you're claiming they are. Here are three things you should avoid while you're out of work due to an on-the-job injury.

Visit to the Workplace

You've been out of work for a while and you miss your job. If you're thinking about visiting your co-workers, you should think again. Even if you're on good terms with your employer and co-workers, that visit could jeopardize your workers compensation claim, especially if your claim needs to go to court. Your employer will be required to testify about your injuries. If you've gone to the workplace for a visit, your employer may be asked about that visit.

Physical Outdoor Activity

You're feeling better so you head outside with your kids. You don't think that a quick game of catch with your kids will hurt. Unfortunately, the insurance company has sent someone to take pictures of you. Now they have pictures of you playing catch in your yard. Before you do anything strenuous, think about the orders your doctor has given you. If your doctor has limited your movement, or placed limitations on the amount of lifting you can do, avoid doing anything that might be against those orders – especially if you're outside.

It's also important to remember that insurance companies often search through social media pages for evidence. Avoid posting compromising pictures of yourself while you're collecting workers compensation. This includes posting pictures of yourself engaged in strenuous physical activity.

Discussion of Health

You may not want people to realize how injured you really are, so you put a brave face on. That brave face may jeopardize your case, especially if you share details about your recovery. Telling co-workers that you're recovering quickly or that you're not having any problems may come back to haunt you later on. While you don't have to go into the details with everyone, you should avoid should avoid minimizing your condition when speaking to others.

If you've been injured on the job, you need your workers' compensation. To protect your benefits, you should avoid any of the activities outlined above. Be sure to talk to an attorney like Dennis Kenny Atty about other issues you should be aware of. 

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