When you get an injury on the job, the dispute is between you and your employer, right? It may seem that way, but things are rarely that simple.
Workers’ compensation originally had the purpose of avoiding disputes. You could thank it for the fact that your employer does not simply fire you and leave you to deal with your injuries alone. However, there is a third party now: your employer’s insurance company.
Why insurance matters
Your injury is likely to be a major cost for your employers. However, they carry insurance to cover themselves against that type of loss.
Insurance matters because it is not a social service. It is a business. Like nearly every other type of business imaginable, its first concern is its own bottom line.
What insurance companies want
Insurance companies would probably love it if nobody ever got injured on the job. In fact they do help employers increase workplace safety. That gives the insurer a monthly payment along with a reduced risk of having to pay for any accidents.
That sounds good. Safer workplaces are better for you as a worker. Unfortunately, most insurers continue their cost-cutting even if you do happen to have an accident.
How insurers manipulate the system
There are many ways insurance companies might try to reduce the amount of money they have to pay. Here are some examples:
- Offering you less than you deserve
- Denying your claim if at all possible
- Sending you to their partner medical providers to minimize costs
- Opposing certain treatment options in favor of cheaper ones
Sometimes, it is possible to get the treatment you deserve without any type of conflict. However, if you believe that your insurance company might be holding you back, please look at their possible motives. Is the treatment you need expensive? Is your condition improving more slowly than average?
Please know there could be options. Workers’ compensation should be able to get you what you need to recover.
