You go to work every day, and it may seem routine. But if the unexpected happens and you sustain a workplace injury, things can suddenly look confusing and unfamiliar. Here is a quick guide as to how to react in the event of an on-the-job accident or injury.
Take Care of Yourself / Notify Your Supervisor
The order in which these two steps take place will depend largely on the extent of the injuries. If you (or your coworker) have sustained life-threatening injuries, the very first course of action should be to alert and summon emergency medical help. Nothing is more important than getting the help you need, immediately, and the details can be worked out later.
Once you are stable, file an Incident Report claim for workers’ compensation.
A company representative, preferably a direct supervisor, should be notified as soon as possible. Many people think that if an injury is minor, that they can wait for a while to report or file a claim. After all, according to the law, an injured employee has 30 days to report an injury or risk losing the right to workers’ compensation benefits. However, the company may have its own policies.
Report immediately so as not to risk future insurance benefits.
Best Practice: Report any incident, even if you do not think you are injured. Some medical issues manifest later (such as whiplash) and having the incident on record is imperative to your claim.
If you leave the worksite without reporting the injury, your employer or the insurance company may claim that there is no proof that the accident occurred on their time. Calling your supervisor and ascertaining those places authorized for treatment under your Workman’s Compensation plan will protect you when filing for compensation.
The insurance carrier may require a specific diagnostic network, hospital, doctor’s office or pharmacy to be used.
As stated, if the supervisor cannot be reached and the job injury is life-threatening, simply get to the nearest hospital or trauma center.
Call a Workers’ Compensation Attorney
This may be tough for you. You love your job, your supervisor is wonderful, and you don’t want to make any trouble for them. However, an attorney is not there to protect you from your employer. An attorney is there to protect your interests in dealing with the insurance company, which your employer pays for this specific purpose. By nature, the insurance company will be looking to settle for as little as possible.
A workers compensation attorney speaks their language and knows their game. We can represent your interests and collect the lost wages, medical costs, and future medical compensation you are due.
A workers’ compensation attorney will take the pressure off of you as you recover, dealing on your behalf with the insurance and company representatives. They can collect needed documentation, and make sure everything is filed and processed correctly.
Follow the Regimen
It is important to follow all of your doctor’s advice, show up for appointments and treatment, and take your medications. Failure to do so will give the insurance company an opportunity to say that you misrepresented your injury (or are not as injured as you claim.) Keep all records, test results, and notes from your treatment, and supply these to your Workmans’ Compensation attorney.
If you are confused about what to do after a workplace injury, give the attorneys at Probinsky & Cole a call. We will help to sort everything out and give you the peace of mind you need to recover quickly and without worry.
