Workers who are injured on the job are entitled to workers' compensation benefits. These benefits cover injured employees' medical expenses and replace the wages they lose when they're unable to work. In Virginia, workers' compensation is a no-fault system, so injured employees are entitled to benefits regardless of who's at fault.

But some employers dispute workers' comp claims, making it difficult for injured employees to collect the benefits they're entitled to under the law.

Why Employers Dispute Workers' Comp Claims

Employers dispute workers' compensation claims for many reasons. One is to keep costs down. When an employee files a workers' comp claim and the insurance company has to pay out benefits, the employer's workers' comp insurance premium could go up.

Employers also dispute workers' comp claims to avoid earning the reputation that their company is a dangerous place to work and employees are frequently injured. Some employers may even dispute workers' comp claims to discourage other employees from filing claims of their own.

How an Employer Might Dispute a Workers' Comp Claim

There are many ways an employer might dispute an employee's workers' compensation claim. For example, an employer might argue that:

• The employee's injury didn't happen at work
• The employee had a pre-existing condition that made them more susceptible to getting injured
• The employee's injury isn't serious and didn't require any medical attention
• The employee was reckless
• The employee intentionally hurt him- or herself
• The employee didn't follow the company's safety protocols
• The employee failed to properly notify the employer of the injury.

The Experienced Attorneys at Ackerman & Falcon Can Help

If you've been injured on the job and your employer is disputing your workers' comp claim, you need an experienced workers' compensation attorney who can help you get the benefits you deserve.

The attorneys at Ackerman & Falcon have been representing workers' compensation claimants throughout Virginia for over 30 years. We'll work tirelessly to protect your workers' compensation rights and fight to ensure you get all the benefits you're entitled to under the law.

Call us today at (703) 288-1400 for a free consultation about your workers' compensation claim, or contact us online.