If you’re an employer in California, the law states that you must purchase workers’ compensation insurance. If any of your employees are injured in work-related accidents, your insurance can compensate them for their medical bills and other such losses.

That said, while you certainly want to be confident that any employees who have been harmed in accidents that are truly work-related receive proper compensation, you must also account for the fact that workers’ compensation claims can result in your insurance premiums rising. Additionally, not all workers’ compensation claims deserve to be honored.

There may be times when you determine it’s correct to deny a workers’ compensation claim. The employee who filed the claim might appeal your denial in this scenario. While you will hopefully never find yourself in these challenging circumstances, if you do, our Marina del Rey workers’ compensation appeals attorneys at Sacks Law Group, APC can provide the effective defense you need.

Reasons to Deny a Workers’ Compensation Claim in Marina del Rey

You may be a compassionate employer who does not wish to deny your employees access to the compensation they genuinely deserve when they are injured in work-related accidents. However, there are instances when you might have a legitimate reason to deny a workers’ compensation claim. Reasons to deny a claim include the following:

• An employee was not actually on-the-job when their accident occurred
• The initial accident report does not align with medical records
• There is strong evidence to suggest that an employee was under the influence of drugs, alcohol, or both when they were injured
• The accident was the result of negligent horseplay on the part of the injured employee
• An employee filed a claim after being terminated
• The claimant has refused to provide access to medical records or to give a recorded statement
• The employee failed to report the injury in a timely manner
• There is evidence to indicate an employee may have harmed themselves intentionally, perhaps because they hoped to recover a settlement easily

That’s not an exhaustive list. Regardless, even if you have a valid reason to deny an employee’s claim for workers’ compensation benefits, it’s still possible they will appeal your decision.

Enlist the help of a Marina del Rey workers’ compensation appeals attorney if this happens. We will assist you in building a strong case demonstrating you were well within your rights to deny a claim.

Marina del Rey Workers’ Compensation Appeals: Important Information

You and your insurance carrier will receive a notification when an employee files an appeal with the Workers’ Compensation Appeals Board (WCAB). Once the appeal is filed, the WCAB has 60 days to deny or accept it.

You do not need to accept the outcome if the WCAB chooses to accept an employee’s appeal. You can continue moving the case all the way up to the California Supreme Court.

Ideally, it will be possible to resolve these matters before they become necessary. Doing so will be much easier with the help of a Marina del Rey workers’ compensation appeals law firm.

Contact a Marina del Rey Workers’ Compensation Appeals Attorney Today

If an employee is not happy with your decision to deny a workers’ compensation claim and has decided to appeal the denial, a Marina del Rey workers’ compensation appeals attorney at Sacks Law Group, APC is here to help. Learn more about what we can do for you by contacting us online to schedule your consultation today.