Many people in Ohio rely on regular employment to provide for their loved ones. As a result, suffering a work-related injury can have life-changing consequences.
Fortunately, workers’ compensation laws in Ohio mean that injured workers may be able to file claims for lost wages as well as medical costs. As the stakes are so high with employment and workers’ compensation, it is vital to separate misconceptions from reality on these issues.
Outlined below are three common myths about workers’ compensation in Ohio.
If a claim is not filed immediately, it will be rejected
While there is a limitation period on Ohio workers’ compensation, restrictions afford injured workers’ time to prepare. Often, injured workers are discouraged from making a claim because they feel they have waited too long to do so. However, the law in Ohio states that injured workers typically have up to one year to file a claim from the date of their work-related injury.
Injuries should be hidden from employers
Understandably, injured workers are often apprehensive about informing their employer of a work-related injury. The potential threat of being harassed or disciplined because of their actions may prove to be too much. However, failure to provide a timely report of an injury suffered at work could potentially harm any future workers’ compensation claim.
Your employer must choose the doctor you see
It is crucial that you can see medical professionals you trust, and your employer’s doctors may not meet these requirements. As long as the medical professionals who attend to you are approved by the Ohio Bureau Of Workers’ Compensation (BWC), it should not impact your claim.
Suffering an injury in the workplace can have a lasting impact on your life. As an injured worker in Ohio, it is important to remember that you have legal rights.