Making Sure the Law Is On Your Side

Once you have filed a worker's compensation claim after getting hurt on the job, the next thing you will need to do is attend your hearing. Hearings are generally scheduled shortly after your injury, but the timing can be impacted in various ways. The timing of your hearing will impact when you start receiving benefits. The following are some things that can affect the timing of your worker's compensation hearing:

Typical Factors That Impact Your Hearing

One of the biggest factors of the timing of your hearing is the location. If your hearing is held in a large metropolitan city, chances are it will take longer than hearings scheduled in smaller towns. The timing is also affected by how many hearings are requested at any given time. You may have many people ahead of you that cause your hearing to be scheduled later.

Possible Exceptions That Can Get Your Hearing Expedited

There is no way to accurately determine exactly when your hearing will take place. Although it can take a while, it is possible for it to get expedited in some instances.

Some careers provide vocational rehabilitation in place of a hearing. Once you file the proper forms required, the worker's compensation commission will work with you and your employer to help settle your dispute quickly. The mediation is held on the phone, making the process much faster.

In the event you cannot come to an agreement during your meeting, you can then move forward with a hearing.

It is also possible to seek an emergency hearing, although they are not commonly granted. If the insurance company is taking its time paying you, for instance, you cannot claim that as an emergency. An emergency is a dire circumstance that you can prove will put your well-being in jeopardy. In this sort of case, you will have to have sufficient proof of your circumstances. If you have an injury that requires ongoing therapy that cannot receive because you have no way of paying, this may be considered an emergency.

Injuries sustained at work are not only upsetting, but going through the worker's compensation claims process can seem like an additional headache. If you are not being treated properly by your employer or if it seems like they are dragging their feet with filing your worker's compensation claim, you need to work with your attorney to get the process going so that you can get paid as quickly as possible.