What To Do If You Have Been Injured At The Workplace: A Small Guide

Many companies have several programs that ensure employees are kept safe, away from any accidents. However, accidents do happen with all the safety precautions in place. The injuries include broken bones, occupational illness, and even psychological injuries.

Despite being one of the common forms of accidents, only a handful of employees know their work injury rights. In addition, most people do not know the right procedure to handle such a situation. That's also why most workplaces have an employee certified in first-aid as they can provide immediate assistance should accidents occur.

The most important and the easiest way to protect your legal right as an employee is to report the workplace injury to the right authority. Most states require you to report within a couple of days. Yes, we understand that depending on the severity of injuries, sometimes it might not be possible. But ensure to report as soon as your physical health allows.

What Are Your Work Injury Rights?

Worker compensation laws vary widely depending on which states you live in. However, if we outline the right generally, this is how it looks.

• You have the right to file a lawsuit for the injury and ask for relevant compensation.
• You have the right to see a doctor and pursue medical treatment.
• If your physicians allow you to get back to your job, you have full right to do so.
• If the injury is fatal or severe and won’t allow you to get back to your job, you have the full right to ask for disability compensation.
• If you disagree with the agreement with the employer, you have the full right to appeal the decision to the court.
• Finally, you have all the rights to be represented by the lawyers during the whole process.

What To Do After An Accident At Work?

If you injure yourself while working, you are entitled to worker’s compensation benefits. All employers are required to offer worker compensation in case their employees are injured while working for them.

If you suffer any injuries while working, you follow the steps given below.

Step 1. Report Your Injury

You must report your injury to your employee. This is to ensure that your employer can take full responsibility for the injury. If you are late, even by a couple of days, the employers and worker’s compensation companies try to deny the claims.

Step 2. Inform The Healthcare Provider The Injury Is Work-Related

After the accident, the first medical treatment you get, it is important that you inform the medical professionals that the injury is work-related. You should also make a note that the doctor adds this into your medical notes. By doing so, you will be back to create a document that will help you build the case.

Step 3. Send A Written Notice To Your Employer

Some of the states have made it necessary to let the employer know about the injury. This statement is necessary and completes the process as soon as possible. Make sure to keep a copy of the notice for your case.

Step 4. Keep A Record Of All The Expenses

Some of the state's rules allow employees to receive a weekly payment from the worker’s compensation insurance company once the employee is out of work for 7 days straight. And if the employee misses the work for 21 days because of the work injury, the employee must be paid for the first 7 days missed.

In addition, you must keep a record of all the expenses you have accrued because of the injury. These expenses can also be added to your worker compensation claim.

Final Step: Contact Worker Compensation Attorney

The final thing you need to do is to hire a worker compensation attorney for your case. You might think that it won’t be necessary, but you must also understand that the legal process can be complex and stressful. Having a lawyer by your side will ensure that you get the true value of your claims. Furthermore, your lawyer can take over the case to allow you enough time to recover from the injury.