You’re injured at work… Now what?
If you happen to get injured while performing a job task, or at your workplace, you will be covered by the workers’ compensation insurance that all businesses are required to have. This will help you to pay the medical bills, but it will also compensate for lost wages while out of work recovering. However, in some cases, you can also file a personal injury claim, suing the party that is responsible for your accident – not necessarily your employer, though – and recover more damages for your pain and suffering.
Here is what you have to do when you are engaged in a work-related personal injury, such as repetitive motion injuries, back injuries, slips and falls under hazardous conditions, car accidents, etc.:
- Notify your supervisor immediately about the injury.
- File an accident report in the time frame given by the state. If you fail to respect the deadline, you lose your rights to workers’ compensation. Keep in mind that reporting an incident also covers you for symptoms that can appear weeks after the accident.
- Consult a doctor as soon as possible, or, if it is the case, go to the emergency room. Once you report the incident, even if it is not a serious injury, the employer needs to make sure you get all of the necessary medical attention.
- Follow up with your employer to make sure the insurance company was contacted and the workers’ compensation was claimed for you.
- Consult an attorney who has experience in handling work-related injury cases, and who could also advise you during a personal injury claim.
This is not a fail proof system, so when in need, call us for a complimentary consultation.
