Injured While at Work? Here’s What to Do

It’s a scary thing when you get injured on the job. Your livelihood is in jeopardy, and it may be some time before you can return to your work. But if you’re lucky, there are things that you can do to prevent any long-term damage from an injury while at work–and even receive compensation for your pain and suffering. Here are some steps that will help ensure that you’re protected following an injury while on the job: 

Seek Medical Attention for Your Injury

First and foremost, it’s important to seek medical attention. You should take time off immediately following the injury–even if you feel like you can power through the pain, don’t. If you fail to receive treatment, you may never get back to 100%–even if your injury heals on its own. So make sure that you’re seen by a doctor just in case it’s more than just a sprain or bruise. 

Even if the doctor doesn’t see any serious injuries, you can still file an incident report with your employer. This will help you see if the accident was due to another person’s negligence. It also provides you with proof when filing a workers’ compensation claim.

Hire A Lawyer

If you feel that your injury was the result of another person’s negligence, then hiring a lawyer is key. After all, it can be hard to prove that somebody else caused your accident without the help of an objective party–and they know what evidence will help support your claim. This information can also be useful if you need to file an incident report with your employer. If you’re not sure where to start, you can seek advice from this workers compensation lawyer in Charlotte, this way you will be informed about the necessary steps to take towards your claim. Hiring a lawyer is also useful if you’ve been denied your workers’ compensation benefits. There are laws in place to ensure that you receive the maximum amount allowed by your state–and your lawyer can help make sure that this happens on time.

Thoroughly Document Your Injury

It’s important to keep thorough documentation of your injury and how it occurred, as this is the first step in filing a workers’ compensation claim. You’ll need to provide detailed accounts of what happened leading up to (and following) the accident. These documents will help you prove that your injury was sustained while at work. Keep a journal that describes how you got injured and include details such as what type of shoes you wore to work, how many hours you worked, and whether or not the weather was wet. If there were other factors such as noise levels in the workplace, make sure to mention these things too–this will help you get paid the full amount that you deserve.

After you visit your doctor, make sure that you write down every symptom that is associated with the injury. Make a timeline of when these symptoms occurred following the accident–and include the duration of each symptom as well. 

In addition to a journal, make sure to take pictures of your injury and save anything relating to the accident–including any medical bills. If your claim is denied, this evidence might help support your case–so it’s important to be as thorough as possible.

Report the Injury to Your Employer

Without a doubt, reporting your injury as soon as possible is crucial. Your employer should have a system in place that alerts them if an employee has been hurt on the job–but you shouldn’t rely on that alone. You can be proactive and send an email or letter detailing the accident and your injuries.

It’s also important to keep all of your employer’s contact information on hand in case you need to get in touch with them regarding the injury–including name, address, phone number, and email. Depending on how serious your injury is, this may be something that you need while filing a workplace injury claim–so keep this information easily accessible.

File a Workers’ Compensation Claim

After you’ve received medical attention for your injury, it’s time to file your workers’ compensation claim. First, you’ll need to decide if the injury was due to another person’s negligence–if so, then filing a personal injury lawsuit may be an option for you. But if it wasn’t, then you’ll need to begin the workers’ compensation claim process.

You can file a claim by submitting paperwork to your employer or their insurance company–whichever way they handle claims. A lawyer will be able to help with this process and ensure that it’s done correctly and on time. If your claim is denied, a lawyer can help you appeal this decision–and get the compensation that you deserve.

Follow Your Doctor’s Advice for Recovery

After you’ve been injured, your doctor will most likely prescribe physical therapy and other treatments to help heal your injury. This is required by the workers’ compensation system–so make sure that you follow their advice and go to all of your appointments. If you fail to do this, then it may be deemed that you’re not trying to get better–which could hurt your claim.

Above all, make sure that you’re honest with your doctor about all of the symptoms that you’re experiencing following an on-the-job injury. This is the best way to ensure that you receive proper treatment and compensation for your injury. Also, make sure to follow up with your doctor after the initial treatment is over, as they may recommend extended care and/or physical therapy. If you don’t continue with treatment, then it could be held against you when your claim is reviewed.

If you believe that you’re entitled to compensation for an on-the-job injury, don’t hesitate to contact a lawyer and file a claim. You could receive full compensation for medical bills, lost wages, and even pain and suffering. This way, you can ensure that you’re taken care of following an injury while on the job. Your lawyer will help with the filing process and can answer any questions that you may have. Make sure to follow your doctor’s advice and attend all necessary appointments. You will recover faster if you listen to your doctor!