Why Is It Important to File for Workers’ Compensation Immediately?

July 17, 2026

When you have been injured on the job, you are dealing with many things at the same time. The one thing you cannot afford to take your eye off of is the legal process of filing a Workers’ Compensation claim. Simply stated, you cannot receive benefits until you file a claim. Further, you have no way of knowing how the insurance company will respond when you do file a claim, making it even more crucial that you begin now.

The Insurance Company May Not Pay Your Benefits Immediately

The insurance company may take some time to investigate your claim after you have filed it. Unlike other states, there is no fixed deadline in Maryland for insurance companies to respond to and investigate your claim. They are under the obligation to act reasonably and in good faith, but you may find that you do not receive benefits immediately after you have filed your claim. In more straightforward cases, you may expect benefit payments to begin two to three weeks after you have filed a claim.

The situation becomes more difficult in closer calls when the insurance company may question either your medical documentation or the fact that your injury was job-related. Here, they will most certainly take as much time as they need to perform a full investigation, partially because they want to protect their own bottom line. The insurance company will not adhere to a tighter timeline simply because you took more time to file your claim. You may have to wait a lengthy period of time for an answer when you need the money.

A Longer Wait Increases the Chances of a Contested Claim

The longer you wait to file a claim, the more likely it is that the insurance company will contest it on the grounds that it is not job-related. In certain cases, the connection between your injury and your job may be a matter of debate. For example, if you are filing a Workers’ Compensation claim due to an overuse injury, the insurance company may question both whether you are really injured and whether your injury was related to your job or was caused by something else.

When the insurance company denies your claim, you will be forced to go through an appeals process that will add even more time. Between scheduling the initial hearing and the time that it can take for a judge to issue a decision, you are looking at several additional months added to the timetable. If you are not successful, you will need to take your case to state court, which will add even more time. In the meantime, your financial needs are pressing, and they are not going away. This will leave you in even more of a precarious financial situation.

The insurance company has already received notice of your claim, assuming that you reported it to your employer in time. If you give them additional time because you wait to file your claim, they will be better prepared to dispute it and come up with reasons why they are not obligated to pay it.

Do Your Due Diligence Before You File Your Claim

The caveat is that you should not rush to file a Workers’ Compensation claim for the sole reason of getting it in front of the insurance company promptly. You must prepare to file a claim by building a record that includes medical documentation that shows that you have been injured, along with other evidence that proves that your condition was job-related. Nevertheless, you must do everything within your own power to assemble this record promptly so that you are in a position to file a claim in a short amount of time.

Baltimore Workers’ Compensation Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Are Ready to Help With Your Claim

The Baltimore Workers’ Compensation lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton can help protect your legal rights when you have been injured on the job. Our experienced legal team will help you navigate the claims process. For a free consultation, visit our website or call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529). We have offices in Baltimore and Owings Mills, MD, and we serve clients in the surrounding areas.