If you get hurt on the job, you want to know that you'll be taken care of for as long as you're unable to work. After all, even when you're injured, you still have bills to pay; you may even have additional medical bills depending on the type of injury you sustained. If you're unlikely to be able to return to work for a long period of time, you may be eligible for long-term disability benefits. Here are three steps you should take when filing for these benefits:

1. Understand the type of long-term disability insurance your employer purchased.

When you're unable to work for prolonged periods of time thanks to a workplace injury, your employer's long-term disability insurance will be the one to pay your benefits. However, the type of insurance your employer purchased makes a big difference in the amount of compensation you could receive. According to Policy Genius, the two main types of disability insurance are own disability insurance and any disability insurance. With own disability insurance, you'll receive benefits for as long as you're unable to do the job you held when injured. With any disability insurance, you'll only receive benefits if you're unable to do any kind of work at all.

2. File a claim.

Next, you'll need to file a claim. Make sure to find out when the deadline is, since most long-term disability insurance companies are strict about claims being filed in a timely manner. You'll need to fill out and submit all the necessary paperwork as well as proof of your disability. Proof can include things like medical files, receipts for medical bills, doctor's notes that prove ongoing treatment, and anything else relevant to the treatment of your disability.

3. Hire a long-term disability attorney.

If your long-term disability claim is denied, you can make an administrative appeal. This is the simplest way to challenge the denial, and you can usually appeal more than once. The most common reason claims are denied is failure to provide enough medical support to back your claim. Your disability law attorney may want to collect additional medical evidence to strengthen your claim in court. Make sure to comply with all your lawyer's requests in a timely manner so they can best represent your interests.

If you have a disability due to a workplace injury, you may be entitled to compensation as long as you're unable to work. Follow these steps to begin the claims process, and don't hesitate to contact a disability law attorney, like Scott E. Shaffman Attorney At Law, if you have any questions.