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Injured employees planning to go on vacation will only give the insurance company ammunition to discredit their injuries. The insurance company is always trying to find ways to contest a victim’s claims. An injured party on vacation gives the insurer a reason to deny their claims. They can insinuate that the injured employee going on vacation is enough proof they can work. Moreover, the victim missing medical appointments and medical treatment can further cause damage to their case.
In any case, injured workers should first consider the impact a vacation will have on their workers' comp case before making a reservation for a trip, as some risk losing their compensation.
Will a Vacation Impact an Employee’s Workers' Compensation Claims?
Injured employees planning to go on vacation will only give the insurance firm ammunition to discredit their injuries. The insurer is always trying to find ways to contest a victim’s claims. An injured party on vacation gives the insurer a reason to deny their claims. They can insinuate that the injured worker going on vacation is enough proof they can work. Moreover, the victim missing medical appointments and medical treatment can further cause damage to their case.
When an injured employee takes a long vacation, they must reschedule a medical treatment or skip it altogether, making their case manager doubt their injuries. Going for short vacations, on the other hand, allows the claimants to make it in time for doctor's appointments. It can do little to no damage to their workers' compensation claim.
Disregarding Doctor’s Restrictions
An injury victim's most vital consideration before taking a vacation is their medical provider’s advice. If the injured worker is cautioned by their doctors about certain behaviors, then, it’s imperative to follow all of them to the T. Examples of doctor’s orders include:
Employees should avoid strenuous tasks like hiking and opt for a more relaxing vacation.
Even so, victims shouldn’t sit on a plane or a car for long hours, as it can imply that certain injuries were not as severe as the employee suggested. Claimants must remember that the insurance firm may hire a private investigator to gather evidence to determine possible fraud.
Those innocent moments of a claimant playing golf or riding a theme park on vacation can be used against them in workers' compensation cases, increasing the risk of losing their rightly deserved compensation. It’s, therefore, important to limit the number of photos an employee posts while on vacation on other social media outlets, as the insurance company will take them and use them as evidence to discredit a claimant’s claims.
Navigating Vacation Policy while Receiving Workers' Compensation Benefits
Usually, any vacation pay a claimant is susceptible to is deducted right from their ongoing workers' compensation benefits. The policy has prevented claimants from receiving workers' compensation benefits and vacation pay all at once. In peculiar circumstances, claimants can receive workers' comp benefits and holiday pay simultaneously, especially where they earned accrued benefits like paid time-off or receive cash value when not used.
Moreover, claimants who are members of particular unions and have some sort of collective bargaining agreement with their employers will ensure they receive vacation pay while on workers' compensation. Collective bargaining agreement determines how an employee's holiday pay is credited against their workers' comp benefits.
Employees have found it quite challenging to understand the vacation policy on their workers' comp. An experienced workers' compensation lawyer from Larrimer & Larrimer Law Firm can assist workers' compensation claimants in identifying relevant agreements after building an attorney-client relationship.
Claimants Must Contact an Experienced Lawyer Today!
Claimants who want to go on vacation with ongoing workers' compensation should understand that the two situations are not mutually exclusive. Setting up travel arrangements to go on a vacation while receiving workers' compensation benefits is unrecommended in some situations. However, each circumstance is different for various employees.
Suppose an injured worker is planning to go on vacation while receiving workers' compensation; their best course of action is to schedule a free initial consultation with the best workers comp lawyer in Columbus Ohio at (614) 820-1855 Larrimer & Larrimer Law Firm to discuss the case.
Personal injury lawyers are knowledgeable and experienced in all legal aspects pertaining to workplace injury and workers' compensation claims. They’ll advise their clients based on Columbus workers' compensation law and their circumstances. They can help address various concerns and questions, such as identifying who is exempt from workers compensation and helping one understand if they get a lump sum from workers comp.
Larrimer & Larrimer Law Office offers the best legal support for claimants. Its legal team has the expertise to help claimants know whether or not planning to go on vacation while on workers' compensation case is open is a good idea. Therefore, injured workers with prior trip arrangements should contact them at (614) 820-1855 for a free case evaluation.