Can Your Medical History Affect Your Workers’ Compensation Claim?
After suffering a work-related injury or illness, filing a workers’ compensation claim is vital for recovering the financial support you need. When pursuing a workers’ compensation claim, several factors come into play that can significantly affect the outcome of your case. One crucial factor in your workers’ compensation claim is your medical history. Your medical history can affect your workers’ compensation claim. Past injuries or medical conditions can affect the outcome of your case. Understanding how past injuries or medical conditions can impact your workers’ compensation claim is vital to effectively navigate the claims process.
How Your Medical History Can Impact Your Workers’ Compensation Claim
When it comes to a workers’ compensation claim, one of the ways your medical history can affect your case is through pre-existing injuries or illnesses. These are any illnesses or injuries you have before your workplace injury or disease. For example, you may have suffered a broken back in a car accident months or years before you suffered a fractured bone at work. If you have a pre-existing injury or illness, your employer or their insurance company may try to deny your claim or provide lower benefits because of your pre-existing condition. However, the law does not prohibit workers’ compensation benefits if an employee has a pre-existing condition. If your work injury or illness aggravated or worsened your pre-existing condition, you are eligible for workers’ compensation. The key is providing evidence that shows your work injury or illness worsened your pre-existing condition. And if your pre-existing condition is entirely different from your current condition, it should not affect your claim. Your workers’ compensation claim should focus on your new injury or illness.
You Must Be Truthful About Your Prior Medical History
When answering questions about your medical history, you must be honest about any prior injuries or illnesses. This is crucial to ensure you receive appropriate medical treatment. Apart from that, being truthful is important to ensure you recover your workers’ compensation benefits. Leaving out details or lying about your medical history can adversely affect the outcome of your worker’s compensation claim. You might be tempted to hide some information because you are afraid your employer’s insurance company will deny your claim if they find out about your prior illnesses or injuries. However, if you lie and the truth comes out, you may lose credibility, which may adversely affect your case.
Importance of Legal Representation
Navigating a workers’ compensation claim if you have a pre-existing condition can be challenging. Your employer or their insurance company may try to deny your claim or minimize payout by arguing that your pre-existing condition is not covered under workers’ compensation. In these situations, a skilled workers’ compensation attorney can prove invaluable. An attorney can advocate for your rights. They can help you gather the evidence you need to support your claim and demonstrate how your work injury or illness worsened your pre-existing condition. With an experienced attorney, you increase your chances of recovering the workers’ compensation benefits you deserve.
Contact a Vermont Workers’ Compensation Attorney
You may be concerned about your claim if you’ve suffered a work injury or illness and have a pre-existing condition. Contact our skilled Vermont workers’ compensation attorneys at Sluka Law PLC to schedule a consultation.
