When you discover your workers’ compensation payments are late, it can create a sense of dread and anxiety. There are certain rights you have as an injured worker, and one of those rights is receiving your workers’ compensation payments on time. As soon as you discover that your workers’ compensation payments are late, it’s vital to notify the adjuster and your attorney. Acting quickly to notify both parties will help you to continue receiving your benefits sooner.
When Your Payments Are Late With No Attorney
If your payments are late and you don’t have an attorney, you need to reach out to the adjuster via email. Reach out via email so it’s in writing for both you and the adjuster to look back on. Let the adjuster know the date of when you received your last check and that you haven’t gotten your other check yet. By submitting an update on your late workers’ compensation payment in writing, it’ll start a paper trail for your adjuster to track. If it’s been more than a week or two since you’ve reached out to the adjuster, and you still haven’t heard back, it’s time to reach out to get the help of an experienced attorney.
If you’re going to reach out to an adjuster, it always helps to put everything down in writing. That way, you remember the last time you reached out to the adjuster. It’s also beneficial to have a paper trail to show that you were on top of trying to reach out for help with your late payments. This way, the adjuster can’t ever claim that you didn’t reach out and try to make them aware of the issue. Also, sending writings via email is always a good idea, because your email will act as a reminder for the adjuster, as sometimes things fall through the cracks.
When to Get an Attorney Involved
The Importance of Urgency When Your Workers’ Compensation Payments Are Late
There is some sense of urgency to making an adjuster aware about a late payment other than not getting your payment. You can get a hearing expedited so you can get in and get heard a little sooner, if you follow proper time frames for filing an update with the workers’ compensation adjuster about your missing check.
As soon as you realize you’re not receiving payments and that you haven’t gotten a payment, alert the adjuster. There is a certain amount of time where you can reach out to the adjuster so you can get heard sooner in a 2-3-9 conference. A 2-3-9 conference will allow you to be heard faster than any other normal filing. You have forty days from when you received your last payment to file the 2-3-9 filing.