You already know how likely you are to have a workplace injury. If you work any kind of manual labor or if you work with heavy machinery, you’ve probably witnessed some workplace injuries even if you’ve been lucky enough to avoid them yourself. Workplace injuries can happen to people who don’t think they’re likely to get hurt on the job, too. You could fall on your butt while climbing a ladder to change a light bulb. Whatever your job, it’s important to know what you’d do if you got hurt. Would you be prepared? Check out the recommendations below and put them into practice. Who knows. It could make a big difference when it comes time to file your first workers compensation claim!
First, you want to make sure that you call a lawyer, preferably your lawyer. “Having” a lawyer is kind of like “having” a doctor. You don’t have to have him or her on retainer, you don’t have to pay them monthly fees. You just have a number in your phone that connects to someone who is qualified to represent you if you are ever injured in the workplace. Accident at work claims are complex, and the results that different people get vary depending on how well they presented themselves. Having a lawyer ready to go if you get banged up on the job puts you in a much better situation in the long term.
After you call your lawyer (which should happen in the first two minutes following injury), you should document your own injury (that is if you’re not already on your way to the hospital). This includes taking pictures of yourself, of your injury, of the site in which the injury occurred, of any witnesses who were standing by, and of any equipment of disorder that contributed to your unfortunate event. This is evidence that could really help you out later. In the event that there is a discrepancy between what you say and what your employer says, this could be the difference in your entire case!
Finally, start your formal claim. This is best done with your lawyer present. If this is not possible, avoid signing anything that you don’t understand completely. This goes doubly if you are in shock or concussed or confused in any way. Don’t allow yourself to sign away your rights because you weren’t in the proper state of mind to understand them. Your employer should have a system by which to initiate these formal claims. Insist on it. If you do not get this kind of support from your employer, or are in any way wary of how they are handling the situation, TALK TO YOUR LAWYER.
All of these steps will contribute to the kind of compensation and aid you receive in the days to come. It’s important that you be driven to document this stuff right after your injury, because if there isn’t strong evidence, you may not have as strong a case as possible later on. We wish you all the best and hope you never get injured. But if you do, do this stuff.
