Insight into the mind of employers and insurance companies who dispute workers compensation claims.
We represent nice people who get treated poorly by employers and insurance companies. It is easy to become cynical and just blame it on greed.
This is especially true when looking at statistics published by the State of Michigan. Some insurance companies dispute claims at rate four times the state-wide average.
There are always two sides to every story. Here are 3 ways that employers and insurance companies see disputed claims differently.
1. You are lying about getting hurt at work
There are some issues we see over and over again in our cases. We call these “red flags” that employers and insurance companies take special note. The most common is late reporting of a work injury. Don’t wait until Monday to tell your boss about something that happened on Friday. It will be assumed you got hurt over the weekend on your own time.
2. You are not motivated to work
Most of our clients don’t want to be on workers compensation. The amount of money paid is approximately 60% of gross pay. Reduced income can be devastating if living paycheck-to-paycheck. Benefits can also be terminated if you refuse employment within your restrictions.
3. The IME doctor says you are fine
Everybody knows that insurance companies use the same doctors over and over again. Most find nothing wrong or say that an employee has fully recovered. Some make a career out of testifying for insurance companies. IME doctors are not the final authority regardless of what the insurance company thinks. Treating medical opinions should be given more weight.
Michigan Workers Comp Lawyers never charges a fee to evaluate a potential case. Our law firm has represented injured and disabled workers exclusively for more than 35 years. Call (855) 221-2667 for a free consultation today.
Related information:
Worst Insurance Companies In Michigan List – 2014 Edition
Photo courtesy of Creative Commons, by Joelk75.
