Know Your Rights: 4 Things Your Need to Do After an on the Job Injury
About 2.5 million workers are injured in private workplaces around the country every year.
As a worker, you might think that you won’t be a victim of an injury, especially if no one has ever been injured in your workplace or if you don’t work in environments that are high-risk.
The cold truth, though, is no one is safe from an on the job injury. Although we hope it never happens to you, the risk is always there. And if it ever happens to you, it’s important to know what to do next.
Here are the steps you need to follow after a workplace injury.
1. Get Medical Attention
After sustaining any kind of injury, seeking medical attention should be your first step. Workplace injuries are no different.
If you’ve been hurt but are able to walk or call for help, do it. Even if you don’t have any physical injuries, it’s still important to get medical help. Perhaps you’ve sustained internal injuries that don’t reveal any immediate symptoms.
If you’re in a position to talk, ask to be taken to a workers comp doctor. This medical professional specializes in workplace injuries and is best placed to give you the best care.
2. Report to Your Supervisor/Employer
It’s not always that a workplace injury will require immediate medical attention. If it’s a minor injury, for example, you can keep going about your day and seek treatment later on.
However, you do need to report the incident to your supervisor. They’ll then make a report of what happened.
There are instances where injured employees fail to report their injuries because they fear being reprimanded or even fired. Don’t be like these employees. Reporting an injury isn’t just about you. The information can help the company implement better preventative measures.
If you went to the hospital immediately after getting injured, you still need to report to the company’s relevant department.
3. File a Compensation Claim
Every state requires employers to purchase a specified minimum amount of workers’ compensation insurance. So, once a worker is injured on the job, they stand to receive compensation from the employer’s insurer.
As such, the next step is to file a compensation claim. This can be complex paperwork to navigate if you’ve never filed the claim before, so it’s important to get help from your employer. You must also figure out the correct amount of money you want to be compensated.
While some employers do provide genuine support to injured employers, this is rarely the case. If you aren’t getting satisfactory support, take the next step.
4. Hire a Workers’ Compensation Attorney
A worker’s comp attorney specializes in providing legal assistance to victims of workplace injuries. This professional will work out the right compensation amount and help you fill out and file the paperwork.
If there’ll be settlement negotiations, the attorney will negotiate on your behalf, ensuring you get fair compensation. And if the insurance company is playing hardball, they will take the necessary steps, such as pursuing the matter in court.
Know What to Do After on the Job Injury
An on the job injury can leave you in pain and keep you out of work for several weeks or even months – that’s if you’re lucky to survive. Knowing what to do after the injury will make a big difference in your health and quest for adequate compensation.
Keep these steps in mind and stay tuned to our blog for more workplace tips.
