TIPS THAT COULD HELP YOUR OHIO WORK INJURY CASE Part 2| Bowling Green, OH Work Injury Attorneys.

In Toledo, the Industrial Commission is housed downtown in One Government Center. A large waiting area anchors the office, and a number of small rooms where cases are heard line the periphery.

Rather than having a judge preside over a case, a hearing officer will review the facts of each claim by reviewing medical reports and listening to lawyers or representatives of each party. In some cases, the hearing officer will take sworn testimony by the injured worker or from a representative of the employer. A finding may be issued on the spot, or the officer may take additional time to review all the evidence before coming to a decision.

Here are some more of our suggestions about some issues you may want to consider:

Get a claim number: You need a claim number issued by the BWC. Once the FROI is filed, contact the BWC so you can get an ID claim card. Everything that happens with your case will be linked to the claim number on the card.

Get medical treatment: Many people don't realize they don't have to get their injuries treated by their employer's doctor. You can treat with any doctor you want as long as the doc is certified by the BWC. If your family doctor isn't BWC certified, consult a lawyer who does a lot of this work to get references for qualified doctors. You can only get compensated for the conditions that the BWC determines were caused by your workplace injury. Your attorney can file a motion that seeks coverage for additional conditions related to the injury. This becomes important if you later have to file a permanent partial disability claim.

Mandatory drug testing: If it's done in a timely fashion, your employer can require you to take a drug test following your workplace injury. If requested, you have to take the test in order to proceed with your claim. If you test positive for drugs, your drug use will be presumed to have caused or contributed to the accident. That presumption, though, is rebuttable and so it doesn't always kill your case.

If you or someone you know has suffered injury at the workplace contact our Toledo, Ohio work injury attorneys to order your FREE copy of The Ohio Work Injury Book.