The adjuster is about to ask who you work for, where you live, and whether you have papers. That matters to them because fear makes people drop valid claims cheap.

Plain English rule: in Indiana, being undocumented does not erase an injury claim. If someone's negligence caused your burn injury, you can still pursue payment for medical bills, lost income, and pain and suffering. If it happened on the job, Indiana workers' comp generally covers injured workers regardless of immigration status, and you usually must report the injury within 30 days. If it was a non-work injury, the usual deadline to file a lawsuit is 2 years from the injury date.

That is why the "it's not worth the hassle" advice is often expensive nonsense.

Example: a Bloomington worker suffers serious burns after a garage apartment fire caused by a defective hoverboard battery or a landlord's bad wiring. He is scared that reporting it will trigger deportation, so he pays Parkview or IU Health bills out of pocket during tax season, skips follow-up care, and takes a quick $3,000 check. Months later, the burns scar badly, he misses more work, and collection notices start.

The real claim value may have included:

• ER and burn treatment
• Future scar care
• Lost wages
• Pain and permanent scarring
• Property loss from the fire

If the injury happened at work, the claim goes through the Indiana Workers' Compensation Board. If it came from a defective product, unsafe rental, or crash near the I-69 construction zone, it may be an insurance claim or lawsuit against the responsible party. Different path, same myth busted: your immigration status is not a free pass for them.

What does cost money is waiting, giving a recorded statement built around your fear, or missing deadlines while medical debt and lien claims pile up.