Injured at Work?: Here’s What You Need to Do
When you get ready for work, do you ever imagine that you could get into an accident on the job?
Well, if you work in an oil or mining field where there’s a constant threat of accidents, the story is different, no doubt. But if you work in a traditional office, injuries are the last thing on your mind – if at all. However, stats show you shouldn’t be too comfortable. In the United States, a worker is injured every 7 seconds.
If your worst fears come to pass and you’re injured at work, knowing what to do next can make a big difference, not only to your health, but also to your finances.
Keep reading to learn about the steps you should take.
Table of Contents
Seek Medical Help
After getting injured at work, the first thing you should do is get medical help.
If you’re seriously injured and you can’t reach your phone, ask a colleague to call for medical help or take you to nearest healthcare facility.
Some workers who are injured on the job make the mistake of staying quiet. Perhaps they feel they’re okay to continue with their duties, or they got injured while doing tasks without wearing proper gear so they fear their employer will reprimand them. Regardless of your specific situation, don’t make this mistake.
Even if you’re feeling perfectly fine, it’s important to see a workers comp doctors. Some injuries might not present any physical symptoms until sometime after the accident.
Report to Your Supervisor/Employer
After treatment, the next step is to file an accident report. Most employers provide forms where injured workers describe the details of their accident.
Because there’s a legal timeframe within which injured workers should file a claim, it’s crucial to be prompt. But what if your treatment takes longer and you’re not able to get back to work soon enough?
Call your supervisor, who should then come (or send someone from the company) to the hospital or your home to record the details.
File a Compensation Claim
A workplace accident can keep you out of your job for several weeks, months or years, depending on its severity. You’ll also spend lots of money treating your injuries and other resulting conditions, especially if you didn’t have personal injury insurance.
Luckily, there are workers’ comp laws that protect people like you. Depending on the laws in your state, your employer or their workers’ comp insurer should compensate you adequately for your injuries and losses.
As such, file a compensation claim with your employer or their insurer. If your employer offers filing assistance for injured workers, well and good. But if they don’t, you might need to hire a workers comp attorney to help you fill out the paperwork and ensure the amount claimed is a fair estimate of what you truly deserve.
And in case your employer or their insurance company deny the compensation claim or want to pay out a lower amount, your injury lawyer will pursue other paths, such as going to court, to ensure justice is served.
Know What to Do When Injured at Work
Getting injured at work can have far-reaching consequences, no matter how minor an accident looks. This is why knowing what to do next is crucial. Be sure to follow the steps fleshed out above.
Good luck and keep reading our blog for more workplace tips.
