Workers’ Compensation
When a person experiences an on-the-job injury, it is imperative that he or she give appropriate notice to the employer that he or she has in fact experienced a job-related injury. The Alabama Workers’ Compensation Act requires that the injured employee notify the employer that he or she has been injured on the job within a certain time frame. Failure to do this will result in the complete denial of the claim. The safest method of notice is written notice; however, oral notice will suffice. However, presenting the claim to the employer and/or workers’ compensation carrier is imperative in protecting your rights to pursue a workers’ compensation claim.
Additionally, as to medical care, the Alabama Workers’ Compensation Act requires that the injured worker go to an authorized doctor in order for the employer/workers’ compensation carrier to be responsible for payment of the medical charges. The Act also requires that the authorized doctor’s care of the injured worker must in fact be related to the on-the-job injury. For example, if a person injures his back on the job and seeks medical care from his personal doctor without the authorization or consent of the employer or workers’ compensation carrier, then the medical charges incurred will not be the responsibility of the workers’ compensation carrier.
Therefore, to appropriately present the claim to an employer, an injured worker should notify the employer that he has been injured on the job, request that it be covered under workers’ compensation, and obtain an authorized treating physician for medical care under the workers’ compensation act. As a reminder, please realize that the Alabama Workers’ Compensation Act is statutory and therefore has numerous rules and regulations with which one must comply. Our recommendation is to consult an attorney who regularly handles Alabama workers’ compensation cases.