When you're injured or fall ill due to work-related reasons, you may qualify for workers compensation benefits. Employers in most states are required to carry this form of insurance as a means of reimbursing employees for expenses related to medical care, lost wages, and other costs following a workplace incident. Unfortunately, not all workers compensation claims are approved, even when they should be. If you've recently received a notice that your workers compensation claim was denied, there are some steps you need to take.

Find Out the Reason for Denial

Your denial letter, by law, must include an explanation of why your claim has been denied. Be sure to read the letter carefully to find out the specific reason as to why your claim was not approved. There are many common reasons for denial, ranging from missing paperwork/documentation to failing to file for workers compensation within the required time frame.

Contact Your Claims Adjuster

Once you have a better idea of why your claim was denied, you may want to contact your workers compensation claims adjuster--especially if the reason for your denial was something minor, such as missing documentation or an error on your application. Your claims adjuster's contact information should be included in your denial letter. If your claim was denied for a more complicated reason, on the other hand, you may want to take other measures.

Explore Your Appeal Options

You are always allowed to appeal a workers compensation claim denial decision, so be sure to explore your options for doing so. Specific appeal processes can vary a bit from one state to the next, but in most cases, you will need to show up to a hearing in front of an administrative judge. At this hearing, you should provide additional documents and evidence to support your claim.

Consult With a Workers Compensation Attorney

If you plan on moving forward with the appeals process, it's a good idea to have an experienced workers compensation attorney on your side. He or she will be able to assist you with building your case and helping you through the sometimes-complicated appeals process. As a result, you can feel more confident moving forward.

Finding out that your workers compensation claim has been denied can be stressful, but there are options available to you. It is not uncommon for claims to be initially denied, so don't give up right away. Consult with a workers compensation attorney at a law firm like Bennett  Law Firm PC for more guidance.