Frequently in the life of a Connecticut work injury claim, there will be a period of time where you are required to do the dreaded “job searches.” This situation typically arises when a worker, often a construction worker or heavy laborer, sustains an injury and is unable to perform the full range of their required job duties. For instance, while they heal their doctor may prescribe a 20-pound lifting restriction, or limit the use of overhead motion with an upper extremity. In an ideal world, your employer will be happy to work with you around your restrictions and find a job on site for you to perform. This is known as “accommodating” your restrictions. More often, however, the employer cannot accommodate you and would consider your presence to be more of a hindrance than a help. In such a case, job searches become a requirement. The basic idea behind job searches is that the worker’s compensation system does not wish to pay an injured employee who is capable of some work. To receive your benefit, you must look for work consistent with your restrictions. These job searches are now most often conducted online on such platforms as Indeed or Snag A Job. The injures worker must typically look for five jobs each week and record his or her efforts on a “Record of Employment Contacts” form. Your Connecticut work injury lawyer then takes this form which you give them and transmits it to the insurance company who in turns cuts you a check. So long as the searches continue to roll in, then so do the checks. Keep in mind that insurance companies will often scrutinize your efforts. Please be sure to submit verifiable searches with jobs that actually exist and can be verified. Also, be sure to apply for positions in line with your abilities. It is fair to say that the stone mason who applies for a job as a concert pianist will be met with great skepticism by both the insurance company and the comp Commissioner. In short, work with your Connecticut work injury lawyer to facilitate the job search process. As in all things workers comp related, he or she is the expert that will help you navigate the system successfully and get you healed and back to work as quickly as possible.
