Steps To Take When Injured at Work

Although workplace accidents are very common, work-related injuries are very difficult to deal with. Some of them require costly ongoing treatment and taking time off work. Even employees taking safety precautions are sometimes exposed to dangerous circumstances where an accident can occur anytime. Unfortunately, some employers don’t respond to these circumstances as they should leaving these workers without resources to recover.

Get treatment ASAP

Your employer should be concerned about your safety. If there is an emergency, they should always call 911 or take the employee to a medical facility. Your medical provider can suggest a walk-in-clinic close by.

Complete the required paperwork

Once you are safe, you are required to complete the necessary paperwork and report the accident. If you don’t report the accident to your employer within 30 days you may lose your rights to claim compensation. It is important you or any other employee in your workstation stays away from the scene of the accident to avoid another accident or further injuries. You should report the accident within 24 hours. Employers are required to use the OSHA form 300 to keep a record of these accidents.

Going back to work

Some injuries require long-term treatment. It is very difficult to go back to work after being weeks or months away. Employers should provide their employees with a return-to-work program to facilitate an easy transition.

Some mistakes to avoid

• Not reporting right away: When you report your accident late, your employer may get suspicious. Some people are afraid they will get fired if they report their injury but it is the right thing to do, even if the injury or accident seems minor.
• Failing to disclose previous injuries: If you fail to report past injuries you may lose your compensation. Be honest about past accidents and specify if it was work-related.
• Failing to report all injuries: If you fail to report all your injuries, your employer might think you are trying to claim more than you are entitled to receive.
• Not going back to work: If you fail to go back to work, you may lose your benefits and your employer may also fire you.

Contact an experienced workplace accident attorney

Hiring an experienced legal representation is always a smart choice. This is especially true if your employer or insurer has failed to comply with workers compensation laws. When your employer or insurer tries to deny your claim or benefits, your workplace accident attorney can suggest the best course of action. A good attorney will always protect your legal rights and make sure you are compensated accordingly. But in order to do so, you must first gather adequate and convincing evidence, which may be too difficult to do on your own.

It is important you understand the deadlines for filing work-related accident claims. Call us today and schedule your initial case assessment free of charge.