No one wants to be injured at work, but the truth is that many people are injured for some reason. It could be your fault, the fault of your employer, or just an accident. It is important to do several things once you have been hurt.
Filing an Accident Report
The first thing that you will want to do is to file an accident report. If you have been badly injured, you will want to make sure that a fellow employee or a family member makes this report for you. Filing a report must be done quickly in most states as there are some strict deadlines. Even if you are not severely hurt, you will still need to file an accident report. Always report your accident in writing to your employer.
Seeking Medical Attention
If you are injured, you will want to seek medical attention. If it is an emergency, you will want to go to your local emergency room. If you are not severely hurt, you can go to your regular doctor. If you plan on going to the doctor, make sure that you check with your employer first. They may already have a doctor that they use for worker injuries.
File a Worker’s Compensation Claim
Some people think by filing a worker’s compensation claim that they are suing their employer. This is not true. Employers are required by law in most states to have some kind of worker’s compensation coverage, depending on factors like the number of employees they have. You will want to find out what kind of online worker’s compensation insurance they have so that you can file your claim.
Once you report your injury to your employer, they will have to offer you the claim form immediately. This will help you to get benefits as quickly as possible. If your employer does not have the claim forms, you will want to contact the local worker’s compensation office and get the forms yourself. Fill out only the employee section and then sign the form. Make sure that you make a copy for your personal records.
Once you have filled out the claim form, your employer will fill out their end. They will then file this with their worker’s compensation plan, and you should receive benefits quickly.
Hiring a Worker’s Compensation Attorney
If you find that there are issues with the worker’s compensation plan or an issue with your employer, you may want to consider hiring an attorney that is experienced in worker’s compensation. Hiring a worker’s compensation attorney should be done for the following reasons:
- Injury. If your injury was severe enough that it is going to put you out of work permanently or for many months, it is a good idea to see an attorney.
- Denial. If your employer denies your claim for any reason, you will want to have an attorney.
- Physical assault. If you have been assaulted and that is what has caused the injury, you will want to see an attorney.
- Understanding. If you have any issues with understanding the worker’s compensation, getting an attorney can help get you answers.
- Monetary value. If you are not going to be compensated enough to cover your medical bills and missed work, you will want to contact an attorney.
Getting injured at work can be a life-changing experience. As soon as you are injured, you will want to make sure that you let your employer know, seek medical attention, and start the process of filing a worker’s compensation claim. If you have any trouble with this process, you will want to contact an attorney to help you.
