Although tragic, workplace injuries happen all the time. Luckily, most workers are covered by workers’ compensation insurance if they get hurt or suffer any injuries on their job. However, this does not mean that the process is easy whatsoever. Filing a claim when you are injured at work or taking legal action against your employer involves a lot of complicated legal work that you may not be able to figure out on your own. Most of the time, people turn to attorneys to handle the entire case for them as the legal consequences of wrong decisions in this area can be costly. To secure your employment benefits after being injured at work, you need to know what to do after sustaining one. Here are our top tips on what you should do after getting involved in an accident or sustaining injuries while doing your job.
Table of Contents
Seek Medical Treatment
Your health and safety are your priorities after getting injured at work. The first thing you should do is visit the hospital, even if you think your injuries are minor. It may take days for your injuries to start showing any pain symptoms. You should also seek immediate medical help so that you establish a connection between your workplace injuries and the incident mentioned in your claim. If your medical assistance is delayed, your claim may be denied. Your employer or insurance company may use your claim against you to prove that your injuries are not related to the accident. Ensure that you visit the hospital as soon as you sustain the injuries and request paper records of your medical bills to prove the injuries and their time of occurrence.
Report the Accident to Your Employer
One of the most important things to do after a workplace accident is to report the accident and your injuries to your employer. This is an essential step so that your employer can proceed with the workers’ compensation process. Most people would hesitate before talking to their employer about their accident. A lot could be at stake, and one wrong move could risk your personal injury claim if you file one. However, the right thing to do is to inform your employer what happened so they can take the correct action to rectify it. If your employer fails to do what they promised to do, or if they don’t do the right thing, this is when you can sue them or take any form of legal action against them. In most states, you are only given 30 days to report your injuries to your employer. However, it’s always recommended to take this step as soon as possible so you can speed up your workers’ compensation benefits.
Visit the Doctor or Medical Institution Suggested By Your Employer or Insurer
When seeking medical help, make sure you consult with the institutions and doctors suggested or specified by the insurance company or your employer. Employment incidents tend to have their own procedures, and your employer or insurer will know better when it comes to choosing the type of medical help you should receive. In addition, according to Michigan lawyers from David Christensen Law, some policies only cover certain types of health care. So you want to make sure you don’t end up paying extra from your pocket just because you were not careful about picking your healthcare provider. Sometimes, your claim may even be denied for choosing the wrong medical provider for your injuries.
Never Delay Reporting Your Injuries
If you fail to report your injuries on time, you could jeopardize your entire efforts and lose your workers’ compensation benefits. Therefore, workplace accidents and injuries need to be reported as soon as possible, with a limit of 30 days in most states. Although you can put this step off for a week or more, it’s recommended that you get it done within the first week of the incident.
Pay Attention to the Workers’ Comp Application
In most cases, your employer is responsible for filling out the paperwork and required forms for your workers’ compensation insurance claim. However, sometimes, you may be required to do it yourself. To avoid ruining your claim or getting into legal trouble, it must be as accurate as possible. You don’t want to delay this step. If your claim was assigned to you, submitting a delayed, inaccurate, or incomplete workers’ compensation application could cost you your benefits or delay the results.
Workplace injuries are far too common for you not to be prepared. You’re most likely covered by workers’ compensation insurance. Still, it’s important to learn what you need to do right after getting injured at work. For the best results, consult with a personal injury or employment attorney to know what to expect and strengthen your case before taking any legal action. Filing for compensation against your employer is not the easiest thing; you’ll definitely need an experienced attorney to help you win your case.
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