Reporting a Workers’ Comp Injury in Louisiana

Reporting a workers’ comp injury in Louisiana is an option available to you if you were hurt while working. You may be entitled to file a workers’ compensation claim and request that you be awarded those benefits.

After all, workers’ comp is designed to meet the financial needs of employees when an injury prevents them from working. However, reporting a workers’ comp injury in Louisiana is only the first step in a long-winded and overwhelming process. 

In addition to reporting your injury, you must also obtain—as well as complete—forms related to your incident. You might have to go through mediation, but you shouldn’t have to face all of this on your own. Instead, reach out to a Lafayette workers’ compensation lawyer.

How Do I Report My Workplace Injury?

You’ll want to obtain the forms required when reporting workers’ comp injuries and make sure you fill them out as accurately as possible. You can report the accident that led to your injuries—as well as the type of injuries you sustained—in four ways: 

• Online 
• By email
• Via fax
• Over the phone

When reporting the incident, you will usually be asked to provide the following information:

• Name and address of your employer
• Your full name
• Your date of birth
• Your Social Security Number
• Your contact information
• Your job title
• Your salary at the time of the accident 
• How your injury occurred
• Emergency services you received
• Other treatments you pursued 

But what injuries does workers’ compensation cover? Your lawyer can answer questions like this one and point you in the right direction, depending on the details of your case. They can also read through your documents and check for errors or omissions that could delay your claim.

How Long Do I Have to Report a Workplace Injury in Louisiana?

In Louisiana, employees who are injured at work have 30 days to report the accident to their employer. This timeline—known as the statute of limitations—starts either on the date of the incident or from the moment you became aware of the injury. 

If you do not take action within this period, you could lose your legal rights to claim financial compensation for your injuries. That’s why it’s crucial to act fast after you’ve been injured on the job. The sooner you contact a lawyer, the better. 

How Do I Know If I Qualify for Workers’ Comp Benefits?

In Louisiana, workers’ compensation insurance covers workers from day one of employment. If the injury you are reporting happened at work, you are likely eligible to qualify for benefits that cover both mental and physical injuries—regardless of fault. 

In many cases, you can receive workers’ compensation benefits even if you inadvertently caused the accident that resulted in your injuries. However, your lawyer can explain this in greater detail.

What Forms Do I Need to File for My Workers’ Compensation Injury Claim?

Workers’ compensation insurance in Louisiana provides coverage for injured workers. It also waives the employer’s liability, meaning employees cannot—in most cases—file a civil suit against them. 

Filing a workers’ compensation claim involves submitting medical evidence and completing a wealth of forms. When reporting a workers’ comp injury in Louisiana, the following documents might be involved:

• Choice of Physician Form (Form WC 1121)
• First Report of Injury or Illness (Form LWC-WC IA-1)
• Notice of Payment (Form 1002)
• Disputed Claim for Compensation (Form 1008)
• Disputed Claim for Medical Treatment (Form 1009)

How Can a Workers’ Compensation Lawyer Help With Reporting My Claim?

Filing a workers’ comp claim can be time-consuming, but with a lawyer in your corner, you’ll receive legal guidance every step of the way. Your attorney can handle all the hard work on your behalf. That way, you can focus on getting better instead of filling out paperwork.

Here’s what an attorney can do for you: 

• Compile medical evidence
• Gather employment and salary history
• Explain each step of the filing process
• Handle all correspondence
• Represent you during mediation
• File an appeal if your claim is denied

Many workers’ compensation attorneys take injury cases on a contingency fee basis. Under this payment arrangement, your lawyer will only receive compensation if they recover a settlement for you. This way, you won’t take any financial risk by pursuing a workers’ comp claim.

Will Workers’ Compensation Benefits Cover All My Medical Bills?

Many states require you to receive treatment from an employer-selected healthcare provider. However, in Louisiana, you can choose your healthcare team and facility. Your employer—or their workers’ comp insurance provider—can cover the following costs:

• Emergency medical care
• Injury-related medical bills
• Treatment-related travel costs
• Rehabilitation and therapy
• Required prescription drugs
• Assistive medical devices

As your lawyer, we can help you get copies of your records—and all related bills—from every healthcare professional or medical facility where you received care. We can fight to recover these costs from the time your injury occurred until you reach maximum medical improvement.

What Type of Financial Benefits Will I Receive While I Cannot Work?

The workers’ comp financial benefits that you receive will depend on the details of your situation. Temporary total disability benefits can help you receive pay for two-thirds of your weekly income. 

Meanwhile, supplemental earnings benefits are intended to cover two-thirds of the difference between your previous income and your current income. This might apply to you if your injury forces you to take a lower-paying job. 

Permanent total or partial disability benefits are for injured workers who suffer a permanent physical injury. You’ll want to report your injury—or injuries—as accurately as possible to ensure that you are awarded the benefits that can help you in the ways that you need.

Call Now for Legal Guidance From a Workers’ Comp Injury Law Firm in Louisiana

If you or a loved one was injured at work, you are entitled to seek the medical and financial benefits of workers’ compensation insurance. That said, applying for—and obtaining—these types of benefits can be more complicated than it seems, especially when you’re injured. 

However, you do not have to find your way through this process by yourself. At Laborde Earles, we can do the bulk of the legal work for you. Contact our law firm today to learn more about us and how we can help you report a workers’ comp injury in Louisiana.