If you have been injured in a work-related accident or illness, you may be waiting to hear from the workers compensation insurance company about your claim. You have every right to feel confident that your claim will be paid, so you are not prepared to find out that it has been denied. If you have had your workers compensation claim denied, read here for more information about the reasons and what to do next.

Reasons for Denial

Medical tests reveal the presence of drugs in your body. If your state allows for it, you will likely be tested immediately at the hospital or doctor's office to determine the presence of drugs, including alcohol and prescription drugs. You should not be denied compensation for using prescribed drugs, however. The laws surrounding this ruling are closely related to the privacy of medical information and are very complex. If you feel that you are unjustly being denied for the use of illegal drugs, consult a workers compensation lawyer.

There were no witnesses to your injury. Just being alone at the time of the accident is no reason to deny your claim. You more than likely told someone, either a co-worker or a family member, about the accident. They are witnesses. You also may be able to go back to the scene (if it happened outside of your workplace) and interview people who live or work nearby.

Your medical statements and accident report don't match up. Be consistent and careful when giving statements, because even minor inconsistencies will raise red flags with the insurance companies. If you feel that your statement has been misconstrued, you may be able to rectify the issue with an appeal.

You did not agree to give a recorded statement for the insurance company. You are not required to give a recorded statement, but that does not prevent the insurance company from using that to deny your claim. You should not give recorded statements without the advice of an attorney, and a workers compensation attorney can assist you in filing an appeal regardless of the insurance companies' denial.

You delayed reporting the accident. You should report any work-related accident or illness as soon as possible, but if you did not, you may still be eligible for benefits. Make sure that you fill out the accident report, no matter how long ago the incident occurred. You must have a good reason for the delay in filling out the report, such as being too hurt or sick, having an uncooperative supervisor, or being away from the workplace due to business travel.

After reading the reasons above, if you feel that your claim was unjustly denied, don't give up. Contact a workers compensation lawyer as soon as possible to assist you with appealing the ruling. Time is of the essence, so don't delay seek professional help to get the compensation you deserve.