“THE MORE YOU KNOW”
by Contributor
(Aug. 24, 2020) — Nobody wants to suffer an accidental injury while at work. Aside from the potential pain it can cause, a work injury may lead to distress and confusion. This is particularly the case if the incident puts your employment in jeopardy.
In some cases, an injury has caused people to stay off work on a long-term basis – or give up their job entirely. Due to the loss of earnings this results in, it may lead to someone struggling to pay their medical bills, household bills, or any other financial commitments.
This is where workers’ compensation can provide massive help. To ensure your legal rights are protected and you receive the desired compensation, here are five steps to take if you’ve been injured at work.
1. File an accident report
First of all, you should report the accident as soon as possible. A lot of states operate with strict deadlines when it comes to this, so you don’t want to miss out on coverage due to filing the report too late.
Now you might find that, despite being involved in an accident, no actual damage occurred. Yet even if you escape unscathed, the report can put the wheels into motion in ensuring this type of incident doesn’t happen again at your workplace.
2. Contact a specialist lawyer
To have the best chance of success, it’s highly recommended you bring in expert legal help for your case. For instance, Williams & Kamb law firm specializes in cases revolving around work injuries.
With assistance from a knowledgeable and experienced lawyer, they will be able to do the heavy lifting, enhance your claim, and ensure you receive the right compensation amount from your employer.
3. Gather evidence
If you want to secure the compensation you deserve, you must gather as much evidence as possible. You never know if you’ll be up against a dishonorable employer who tries to fire bogus accusations in your direction.
As soon as you can, you should take as many videos and photos of the accident location. A dishonest employer might try and ‘cover up’ the area to hamper your claim, so this evidence can prove vital.
4. Consult a doctor
Even if you haven’t suffered a serious injury, you still need to visit a doctor as soon as you can. Plus, if your injury has caused serious, long-term problems for your health, you must continue to regularly see a doctor. The reason for this is that, if the injury is a longstanding issue, they’d expect you to have sought additional medical attention.
5. Track your losses and expenses
There’s one main reason behind your compensation claim: to cover the expenses and monetary losses brought on by your injury.
Because of this, you want to keep accurate track of these aspects. You may believe that it’s just your wages you’re missing out on, but there are other elements to consider. Did you miss out on a holiday due to the accident? Have your utility bills gone up due to being home more? How much have you had to spend on hospital trips?
The more you know, the more accurate your compensation.