Approval of a workers’ compensation claim can sometimes be instant—happening as soon as you’ve missed more than three days from work. But in many cases, the insurance company may delay, deny, or fail to properly memorialize your claim the way they should. When that happens, it’s important to consult a lawyer right away. Our Rhode Island workers compensation lawyers can step in quickly to make sure your claim is handled correctly and your rights are protected. If a petition needs to be filed in Workers’ Compensation Court to formally establish your claim, the law requires that you wait at least 21 days after the injury before filing. Typically, these petitions are not filed unless you have lost time from work or are incapacitated, because the claim must mature before it can be officially recognized.

Although some employers and insurers do the right thing immediately by recognizing and processing your claim, it’s very common for this not to happen—or not to happen in a timely or legally sufficient way. You may even start receiving payments without proper documentation, which means you still have no enforceable rights if they suddenly stop paying. To avoid this, it’s crucial to have your claim legally memorialized. You can learn more about this process in our RI workers’ comp benefits. It may also help to explore related issues such as why claims get delayed or what happens if your claim is denied.

Related Articles:

• What can cause a claim to be delayed?

• What if my claim is denied?

• What’s the step-by-step process for filing a workers’ comp claim?

• Can Workers’ Compensation Be Denied?

• Can a Workers’ Compensation Claim Be Reopened?