There were more than 200,000 workplace injury cases involving slips and falls in 2019. Most workplace injuries are preventable but also extremely dangerous. If you have been injured while working, it is very important that you act quickly.
By knowing what to do after a workplace injury, you’ll be able to take decisive action and make sure that your rights and finances are protected. If you’d like to learn more, then keep on reading and we will take you through everything that you will want to know.
What Is a Workplace Injury?
Any injury that takes place at work can be considered a workplace injury. It could happen in the actual workplace or while you are performing business for the company.
When you suffer an injury, you might need time away from work or medical treatment. Your boss will be responsible for filling out documentation known as the First Report of Injury.
Your employer will also need to cooperate with the worker’s compensation carrier if you choose to file a worker’s comp claim.
Common Workplace Injuries
Falls and slips are extremely common types of workplace injuries. However, muscle strains, lacerations, and cuts are also common.
Individuals might be struck by falling objects, too. These can be falling planks at a construction site or even falling shelves in the office.
Now that we have a better understanding of workplace injuries, let’s go over what to do if you happen to find yourself in such a situation.
1. Attend to the Injury
If you get injured while on the job, the first thing you need to do is attend to that injury. You want to make sure that you get treated and get help from your fellow workers.
Get someone to pull out the first aid kit and make sure that you take care of the injury.
Even if the injury doesn’t look or feel severe, that doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t attend to it right away.
2. Talk to a Doctor
First aid is just the first line of defense against an injury. It’s still necessary for you to visit a doctor after your accident. If it seems necessary, you can always go to the emergency room.
Tell the doctor what happened and what your symptoms are. This won’t just allow you to get the opinion of a professional but it will also allow you to have a record of your injury.
Make sure that the doctor writes down everything you tell them.
If you aren’t happy with the consultation, then you can always leave and go to a different physician. The costs might even be covered by your health insurance.
3. Make Sure Your Coworkers Know About the Injury
Were you working by yourself when you suffered the injury? If this is the case, then you want to make sure that you tell your coworkers about the accident.
If you decide to file a worker’s compensation claim, it is important that you tell your coworkers about the injury as soon as possible. You don’t want your boss and the company’s insurance provider to have the power to dispute the accident by having no one to back you up.
Also, when you tell your coworkers, they will be able to protect themselves from ending up with a similar injury.
4. Report the Injuries and Make a Claim
It is important that you report the injuries as soon as you can. The quicker you let your boss know about the injury, the sooner they will able to report the accident.
It is important that you get copies of the documents that are filed.
You also want to make a claim for worker’s comp benefits. The deadline to do this is going to change from one state to another, so you want to make sure that you are well aware of the dates. For example, you may want to check out this resource on Workers Compensation Laws in Florida.
It is also a good idea to speak with a lawyer before you first file a report. You want to work with someone who has experience in handling these kinds of claims and cases.
5. Take Videos and Photos
The more documents and records of the injury that you have, the stronger your case will be. You want to take photos of the space where the accident occurred. Take photos of the aftermath of the accident and of any injuries that you have.
Get photos from all different angles. You can’t take too many photos in this kind of situation.
If your range of mobility is limited, for example, you have trouble extending your knee or arm, then take a video of that.
6. Keep a Record of All of Your Expenses
Keep track of all of your losses and expenses. If you lose pay because you need to stay home from work, you need to keep track of that. You should be able to receive that money back.
If you need to pay for any medical expenses, then make sure to keep track of those too.
The Importance of Knowing the Proper Steps to Take After Suffering From a Workplace Injury
Hopefully, after reading the above article, you now have a better idea of what steps you should take after suffering from a workplace injury. By knowing what actions to take, you’ll be able to act quicker and get your claim process more easily.
Make sure to check out the rest of our site today for more helpful articles!
Amanda Byers is a graduate of Columbia, where she played volleyball and annoyed a lot of professors. Now as Zobuz’s entertainment and Lifestyle Editor, she enjoys writing about delicious BBQ, outrageous style trends and all things Buzz worthy.
