When you file for workers’ compensation in California, your employer’s insurance company has the right to ask questions about your health and medical treatment. But you have rights too. Workers’ compensation depositions and statements can be tricky.
Before you answer any questions from insurance company, sign any releases, or make a formal deposition, get the advice of an experienced California workers’ compensation attorney. Without this advice, you may be imperiling your right to obtain benefits and medical care through workers’ compensation. However, with the counsel of a good workers’ compensation lawyer, you can meet your legal responsibility to provide information while protecting your right to benefits.
Insurance companies generally use three methods to obtain information about you:
1. Phone calls and visits: An insurance adjuster may call or visit asking you to make a statement about your medical condition or treatment. Don’t do it; just politely decline to answer any questions until you speak to your attorney. Then, get legal advice as soon as possible.
2. Formal depositions: Statements you make in a deposition may be used to cut off your benefits. Depositions are taken under oath, so if you make a false statement in a deposition, you could face criminal charges. Have an experienced workers’ compensation attorney accompany you to the deposition.
3. Surveillance: Insurance companies may conduct surveillance, and the evidence they gather could lead to the loss of your workers’ compensation benefits. You should also use caution when posting material and photos on social media networks like Twitter and Facebook.
If you’re injured on the job in California, or if you suffer a job-related illness, you are probably qualified to obtain workers’ compensation benefits. However, the process is complicated, and insurance companies often fight hard to deny your benefits. Get the help you need to obtain the benefits and treatment you deserve; speak to an experienced California workers’ compensation attorney as quickly as possible.