What to Do After a Workplace Injury

Workplace injuries are an unfortunate reality that can have a significant impact on you and your family. An accident causing injury in the workplace sets a series of events in motion that unfurl and can last for weeks, months or even years to come. While this long-lasting ordeal might seem exhausting, the initial few hours are the most crucial to take suitable actions. 

Workplace injuries varies according to the job, one should follow strict guidelines as directed by the law, regardless of their job title at the organization. 

Here are a few steps to take after you have been injured at work in order to get the compensation you duly deserve:

• Seek Medical Aid:

While compensation benefits are important, your life and health should be the priority. Obtain first aid or other necessary medical treatment as soon as possible.  If the injury warrants it, go to the emergency room. If you're not seriously injured, you should ask your employer if they require you to see a certain preferred provider organization or if you can choose which doctor to go to. 

• Report the Injury:

Once the assessment and examination of your injuries are done, report the injury to your employer. It is of utmost importance that a workplace incident report and related documentation is shared with concerned parties immediately. Ensure that injury reporting is quick across all levels from the supervisor to the insurance careers. Not only will this timely reporting documentation serve as a foundation for your workers' compensation claim, but will also lead to faster response time.

Make sure you are in your senses before reporting the injury to your supervisor at work. Rushing a report just to expedite the claim time might have the opposite effect if you provide an inaccurate or incomplete report.

• Contact an Attorney:

Getting in touch with an attorney like the ones at recklaw.com is the right action process prior to filing a claim as they are well versed with the subject matter and can give an expert opinion on how to take things forward after taking the matter into consideration. An initial consultation is usually free and can help you determine what benefits you might be entitled to receive. If the employer is unwilling to report your accident or injury, the attorney can file a claim and take other necessary actions. Understanding your legal rights following a work-related injury can be intimidating and complex. The employer and its insurance carrier will be more inclined to put their interests over yours and may not tell you everything you need to know.

• Filing for a claim with benefits with the Worker's Compensation Commission:

You are eligible for a plethora of benefits as per the Worker's Compensation Commission, if you face an injury at work. Your benefits will vary with the jurisdiction you come under. These benefits cover all personal injuries that are sustained at the workplace, regardless of how it happened or who was responsible for it. It should cover the majority of the costs associated with treatment.  It is imperative that you file for claims as soon as possible and if a claim is not filed within two years from the date of the injury or disablement from an occupational disease, you may lose your right to benefits.

Additional steps to take -

• File an accident report:

Many states have very short deadlines by which you must report an accident in order to be covered under workers' compensation laws. Filing the report with authorities other than your employer will ensure that it is in records. Another advantage or reporting the accident even if you get out of the incident unscathed is that the employer will work on improving the work conditions to ensure the safety of workers in the future. 

• Tell your colleagues/ co-workers about the injury:

Your colleagues or co-workers can be of utmost importance as many employers and insurance carriers ask around for witnesses to the injury or accident. The more people who know about the accident, higher will be the probability of the insurer approving your claims.

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