If you injure yourself on the job on South Dakota, you need to report the injury as soon as possible. A late report won’t necessarily disqualify you from getting workers’ compensation, but it can slow down the process and create extra fees and paperwork. Plus, your injuries could worsen in the meantime.
What happens if you wait too long to report your claim?
Some people don’t file for workers’ compensation because they think they don’t need it only to have their injuries worsen in the following days or weeks. If you injure yourself on the job, you need to report it. Otherwise, you’ll have to wait longer to collect workers’ compensation while your condition continues to worsen.
You might also have to pay a fine if you report the claim after the usual deadline. You might still be eligible for workers’ compensation, but you’ll have to deal with extra penalties and paperwork on top of it. To make the situation worse, you or your employer might have lost the evidence that proves you were injured in the first place. If someone witnessed the accident, they might have left the job by the time that you report your injuries.
Finally, you might not be able to return to work as soon as you’d hoped. If your condition has worsened, you might require more medical attention and have to take extra time off work. A workers’ compensation attorney may help you file a late claim, but ultimately, it’s best to file a claim shortly after the injury took place.
What if you don’t know if you qualify?
Sometimes, it can be hard to determine if you qualify or not. Even if you don’t think you’ll get workers’ compensation, tell your employer about the incident anyway. They can make a record of the accident so that you’ll have proof if you decide to pursue a workers’ compensation claim later. They might also recommend an employer-approved doctor who could assess your injuries and let you know if you can return to work or not. An experienced attorney may also be able to tell you if you qualify for workers’ compensation.