Five Tactics Insurers Use To Deny Or Downplay Workers’ Compensation Benefits In Maryland
Workers’ compensation is a program that requires employers to carry insurance to protect employees who get hurt on the job and to cover the costs associated with on-the-job accidents and occupational injuries. Workers are entitled to coverage of all causally related medical costs, reimbursement of lost wages, and can receive additional compensation if the injury results in long-term disabilities. However, they have to get through insurance company representatives first. Our Maryland workers’ compensation attorney shares five common tactics insurance representatives frequently use to deny or downplay claims.
Common Tactics Insurers Employ When Reviewing Maryland Workers’ Compensation Claims
Under Section 9-201 of the Maryland Labor and Employment Code, all employers are required to provide worker’s compensation benefits if they have one or more employees. Maryland Workers’ Compensation Commission administers these benefits, but insurance companies actually make payments.
Unfortunately, insurers typically look for ways to protect their profits, which often means denying or downplaying your claim. The following are five common tactics they employ when reviewing your rights to worker’s compensation benefits:
- Disputing how your injuries happened.
Workers’ compensation provides benefits for injuries that happen on the job or while performing work-related tasks. Insurers will look for ways to connect your injuries to other causes or pre-existing conditions, resulting in denial of your claim. They can also deny benefits if you were under the influence of alcohol or drugs at the time the accident happened. They can also deny benefits for willful misconduct or engaging in horseplay.
- Disputing the severity of your injuries.
It is important to seek medical care immediately any time on-the-job injuries happen and to follow all doctor instructions. When talking with insurers or anyone involved, do not exaggerate the harm you suffered, but do not downplay it either. Make sure to report all body parts that you injured immediately.
- Downplaying the amount of benefits you are entitled to.
Insurers are likely to pressure you to return to work sooner than your doctor indicates. They may also downplay the severity of any long-term disabilities and how they impact your ability to perform your job.
- Requesting excessive documentation.
When insurers can’t find a reason to dispute what happened or your injuries, they may bombard you with excessive requests for information. They may want additional copies of medical records, even if you submitted them in the past, or repeatedly require you to file a particular form. Our workers’ compensation attorneys can assist you in providing the documentation requested by insurers.
- Blaming administrative errors.
Insurers may deny or downplay your workers’ compensation benefits for no reason, only to claim when confronted that it was an administrative error or mistake. This can waste time and prevents you from getting the benefits you are entitled to at the time you need them most.
For Help In Filing Your Claim, Contact Our Maryland Workers’ Compensation Attorney
Workers’ compensation benefits in Maryland help cover your losses when work-related injuries happen. To get the total amount of benefits you are entitled to, contact Berman, Sobin, Gross LLP. To get the professional legal help you need in dealing with insurers, request a consultation with our Maryland workers’ compensation attorney today.
Sources:
casetext.com/statute/code-of-maryland/article-labor-and-employment/title-9-workers-compensation
wcc.state.md.us/gen_info/wcc_benefits.html#:~:text=The%20Maryland%20Workers’%20Compensation%20Act,9%2C%20Annotated%20Code%20of%20Maryland.&text=Since%20the%20early%201900’s%2C%20every,employers%20just%20wasn’t%20effective.
insurance.maryland.gov/
