What Happens if You Miss a Workers’ Compensation Deadline in Vermont?
After suffering a work-related injury, navigating the workers’ compensation process can feel overwhelming. In Vermont, this process involves numerous paperwork and deadlines. Filing the correct paperwork on time is vital for ensuring you receive your deserved benefits. Missing a workers’ compensation deadline can jeopardize your chances of recovering the compensation you deserve. Below, we discuss the potential consequences of missing a workers’ compensation deadline in Vermont and provide some tips for staying on track.
Why Do Deadlines Matter?
Deadlines in the workers’ compensation claim process exist to ensure injuries are reported on time and investigated while the facts are still fresh. Workers’ comp deadlines exist to keep claims moving. In other words, deadlines in the workers’ compensation process exist to ensure fairness, accuracy, and efficiency in the system for all involved parties.
Important Vermont Workers’ Compensation Deadlines
Under Vermont workers’ compensation law, there are a few deadlines injured workers should know about. Generally, each step in the process has a specific deadline.
- Injury Report: Vermont workers’ compensation law requires that you inform your employer about your work-related injury “as soon as practicable.” While the law does not specify an exact number of days, it’s best to report your injury within 24 hours.
- Medical Treatment: After suffering a work-related injury, seek immediate medical attention.
- Claim Filing Deadline: You have up to six months to file a workers’ compensation claim with the Vermont Department of Labor. For illnesses that develop over time, the clock may start when you knew or reasonably should have known that the condition was related to your job.
What if You Miss a Deadline?
Failing to meet a deadline can have several consequences, including the following:
- Delayed Benefits: Missing a deadline can slow down your claim. Even if your claim is approved, late paperwork can lead to delayed payments for medical expenses and lost wages, as the insurance company may take advantage of the situation to delay processing your claim. If benefits are delayed, it can create serious financial stress.
- Denial of Claims: The insurance company may deny your claim entirely if you miss a deadline. For instance, they might argue that your delay prevented them from properly investigating the injury or that your injury did not occur at work.
- Difficulty Proving Your Case: The longer you wait to report your injury, seek medical treatment, or file your claim, the harder it becomes to prove your case. Waiting creates doubt and allows insurers and employers to claim the injury happened elsewhere, making it harder to prove your claim’s legitimacy.
Tips for Avoiding Missing Deadlines
Given the potentially serious consequences of missing a deadline during the workers’ compensation claims process, it’s vital to take proactive steps to ensure you stay on track. Here are some tips to help you avoid missing workers’ comp deadlines:
- Understand the deadlines
- Get legal help
- Use reminders and calendars
- Keep organized records
A qualified Vermont workers’ compensation attorney can help you navigate the complex process. They can make sure all paperwork is filed correctly and on time, reducing the risk of you missing out on your deserved compensation.
Contact a Vermont Workers’ Compensation Attorney Today
Our skilled Vermont workers’ compensation lawyer at Sluka Law PLC can help ensure all paperwork is filed correctly and on time. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
Source:
labor.vermont.gov/sites/labor/files/doc_library/Worker%27s%20Comp%20Rules%20index.pdf
