Following an injury at your workplace, you have the right to workers’ compensation benefits to cater for your medical bill, lost wages, and possible disability. Nevertheless, it’s challenging to know what to do when you’re ill or injured.
Here, we discuss the steps you need to follow after a work injury. Read along to know more.
Seek Medical Attention
The first thing you should do after sustaining a workplace injury is to seek emergency medical care. Visit the nearest health facility for a check-up. Choose a follow-up doctor who satisfies your employer’s workers’ compensation classification immediately. If you aren’t sure you’re in a worker’s compensation health care network, consult with your employer since you might not benefit if you aren’t.
Ensure to disclose every detail of your injuries to the doctor, including how you sustained them. Also, keep copies of everything related to our injuries, from your first visit to the health facility, medical costs, to dates you missed work due to injuries.
Report the Injuries to Your Employer
As soon as you can, report your injuries to your employer and how they happened. Besides a verbal report, write a notification for more proof of your report. Don’t wait to see if the pain disappears or worsens before reporting the matter to your employer. It’s vital to inform them immediately to avoid doubts about when, where, and how the injuries occurred.
In many cases, legal action is required. Terry Katz and Associates explains the process of getting workers’ compensation and under what circumstances you can sue your employer following a work-related injury.
Gather Evidence
If possible, go back to the accident scene as soon as possible and gather evidence. It’s more likely that someone will clean up the area of the accidents. Before that, you’ll need to have gathered as much evidence as possible before any changes are made.
Since most people tend to forget each detail days or weeks after sustaining an injury, it’s essential to write down what transpired when the memory is fresh. Among the things you should record are:
- The date and time of the accident
- Where the accident occurred
- What you were doing when the accident happened
- Witnesses’ contacts and names
Since your employer might argue that you didn’t get hurt at work, ensure to keep an official report on the day you were injured as proof.
Fill Out a Workplace Injury Report
Employers should keep workplace injury reports available for staff by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. After an injury, demand to fill out this copy, even if your employer insists it’s not necessary. After filling out the report, keep a copy for your records.
File Your Claim
Following an injury at work, you should file a worker’s compensation claim as soon as possible. Besides covering your injuries, worker’s compensation can cover a condition you develop while on the job. Usually, the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board covers worker’s compensation.
Remember, you don’t have to prove the injuries you sustained. Nevertheless, you need to prove that work significantly contributed to the injuries. For instance, some individuals develop back injuries following the repetition of similar motions for some time. While you might struggle to prove what led to your back injury, you can prove that the problem began at work and got worse over time.
Whether your injuries developed over time or following an accident, ensure to file your worker’s compensation claim immediately to ensure you don’t miss the deadline.
Hire a Lawyer
It’s crucial to hire a lawyer after a work injury. However, the lawyer should be licensed, experienced, and specialized in worker’s compensation cases for quite a while. Working with a reputable lawyer will ensure your rights are adhered to during compensation.
Track Your Expenses
After a work injury, it’s vital to keep a record of expenses linked to the injuries. For instance, you should track the days you missed work due to the injuries. Worker’s compensation law stipulates that employees should receive weekly replacement payments. Therefore, you should receive payments once you miss working for seven days. Also, you should record expenses related to your medical fees, from doctors’ appointments to treatments and medication for your injuries.
Conclusion
As an employee, it’s essential to understand what you should do following an accident at your workplace. If you sustain serious injuries, medical bills can skyrocket with each passing day, accumulating to a considerable amount. You must know your right to workers’ compensation to ensure the bill is settled promptly without any hassle.