Being injured while working for your employer can be a devastating experience. Depending on the extent of your injury, it may even dramatically change your life. You’ll be worried about the costs of your medical bills, lost wages and earning capacity, and other emotional and psychological consequences.
This is why it’s important that you know the steps you should take to ensure you can protect your legal rights in the event it occurs. When it does, here are the most important steps to take, which you should also keep in mind:
- GeMedical Help Immediately
If you’ve suffered an injury as a result of an accident in the workplace, your first priority should be to seek immediate medical attention. Make sure you get yourself checked by a licensed physician for proper medical treatment. And since the injury occurred in a workplace, don’t forget to discuss with your doctor what you’re feeling in detail.
By doing this, you can obtain a detailed medical record, which can help corroborate your claim that you were injured while at work.
- Notify Your Employer
Once you receive the treatment your injury requires, the next step is to notify your employer about what happened. Aside from a verbal notification, be sure to prepare and submit a written report of the injury as proof of notification.
As soon as you’re physically able to do so, don’t wait for a day or two before you report the accident to your employer. That’s because failure to do so may affect your chances of obtaining the appropriate compensation you’re entitled to after a workplace injury. Specifically, when you fail to make the necessary reporting, you’ll be casting doubts as to where, when, and how your injury occurred.
After notifying your employer, make sure they get you to fill up an incident report form, where you can also explain in writing what happened in detail. If they don’t, make an effort to request one outright, and be sure to secure copies of everything you submit for your own documentation.
- Contact An Experienced Attorney
When you sustain injuries while working, you’ve the right to seek compensation. And to better understand your legal rights, you may need the assistance of a reliable attorney who can guide you throughout the process.
When you have a legal professional by your side, you’ll be more enlightened especially when it comes to your rights. You’ll also be given more options as to how you’d like to pursue the case. In particular, you may need to know more about workers’ comp laws and the legal intricacies behind them. With more legal knowledge, you’ll be able to file a stronger claim and improve the odds of getting yourself properly compensated for your job-related injury.
- Gather Proper Documentation
To safeguard your rights to compensation as an injured employee, it’s crucial to complete all the required documentation as soon as possible. Whether they’re records of any missed workdays, out-of-pocket expenses, and many more, you should document and consolidate them properly to speed up the claims process. Proper documentation is necessary before you can receive your benefits under the workers’ compensation program.
Also, in the event you decide to file a lawsuit against your employer or anyone responsible or liable for the injury, you can use the records you’ve gathered to prove the negligence on their part. So, if you want to assert your rights, don’t take documentation for granted.
- Decide On The Legal Action To Take
In most cases, sustaining an injury in the workplace is covered by the workers’ compensation laws in your area. But you should also take note that being injured while at work may also entitle you to file a personal injury lawsuit in court so you can hold the negligent party liable for your injury.
That being said, it can be a good idea to hire a lawyer who can help you decide on the best legal action for your unique situation. Depending on the circumstances of your case, claiming benefits from the workers’ compensation insurance may be more beneficial than receiving compensation for your incurred damages through a lawsuit, or vice versa.
On the other hand, you should also understand that these two options can’t be enforced simultaneously. This means that when you choose to get the benefits from the workers’ comp, you can no longer file an injury case in court. Hence, you should evaluate your circumstances thoroughly to make sure you’ll get the highest benefit possible.
Wrapping Up
Indeed, workplace injuries can happen to any employee, any time. When it happens, it’d pay to be aware of your rights to compensation and how to go about it so you can start your recovery physically, emotionally, and financially, as quickly as possible. Remember, the more knowledge you have about your rights in the workplace, the better you can assert it when needed.
