Workplace Injury: What To Do Immediately After?

Workplace Injury: What To Do Immediately After?

Having an accident at the workplace is a very devastating experience, and if you are going through a workplace injury, you must be distressed and overwhelmed by the situation; and it’s normal to feel this way. As soon as you come back to your senses, you start worrying about your damages, medical expenses, and your job.

The worst part is you have to endure all the pain because you have to earn money to have a living. Besides, you have invested your time, energy, and effort in your job, so it’s obvious to expect the safety of your work in return.

A Charlotte worker’s compensation lawyer assists people in claiming their workplace injury compensation in the best way possible. According to the BLS, 2.7 million non-fatal workplace injuries were recorded in 2020. This article will tell you a few things you should do after suffering from a workplace injury.

Seek Help:

As soon as you are injured at the workplace, you should focus on your injury and ask for instant medical aid. Every workplace has a first aid kit and a designated doctor or first aid provider.

If you won’t be able to get first aid, remain static and ask someone to arrange it for you. Even though your injuries may not appear at once, you should consult a medical specialist to avoid any long-term injury later on.

Report Your Accident to Management:

There is a limited time span in which you can report your accident, and that time varies from state to state. So if you are involved in a workplace accident, you must report it timely to get workplace injury compensation.

Reporting your accident can make your employer conscious about taking care of safety measures at the workplace to avoid accidents. Moreover, an immediate accident report will protect you if your injuries appear after weeks or months of the accident.

Secure the Accident Scene:

Management should seal the place of accident as soon as it is reported. By blocking access to the event’s location, the safety of your colleagues will be ensured. It is essential to secure the accident scene for safety and reporting purposes.

Limiting access to the site will enable your employer to have a proper and thorough investigation and help find the loopholes in safety precautions. Fewer people in the location will increase the chances of identifying the factors involved in your accident at the workplace.

Make Sure The Company Records the Accident:

Every organization must record accidents in order to improve workplace safety. Some employers are reluctant to keep a record of workplace accidents because of targets given to reduce injuries at work. Reporting an accident is crucial, especially when employers brag about the days when there are no accidents reported, and it could put a lot of pressure on you as an employee.

If your senior management refuses to report your incident, you have the right to write an email to your employer so that you have written evidence that will help you in legal proceedings.

Collect Evidence About Your Workplace Injury:

This step plays a pivot role if you want to make a compensation claim to cover the medical bills of your injury caused by an accident at the workplace. After suffering from a workplace injury, you should immediately call a Charlotte worker’s compensation lawyer.

Start capturing photos and videos of the accident location, considering yourself a crime scene investigator of sorts. These pieces of evidence will strengthen your claim for compensation, and your employer won’t be able to hamper your claim. It is wise to collect as many pieces of evidence as you can because no lawyer will criticize you for that.

Seek the Help of a Reliable Colleague:

If your injuries are severe and you cannot work for a couple of months, your employer shall make specific changes to work equipment during your immediate post-accident period. Usually, these changes are made to improve safety, but sometimes they are intended to cover up the accident.

It is pertinent to have a sincere and helpful colleague who would notice such acts and keep you updated with the situation when you are on sick leaves.

Ridiculously, many employers carry out accident investigations in the victim’s absence. Meanwhile, a trustworthy co-worker who is willing to take a stand for you – can ensure that the facts of the incident are recorded and help to prevent your employer from blaming you for your accident at work

Submit a Workers’ Comp Claim:

If you suffer from an injury at work because of defective machinery or heavy lifting, you have all rights to file a workers’ compensation claim. Your employer cannot use it against you.

List Down All Your Expenses for Your Workplace Injury:

The only way to put you back in the position you would have been in if the accident hadn’t happened is to claim compensation for your workplace injury. For example, if you have lost income due to an accident, you should be able to recover that lost pay.

Likewise, if you have lost a promotion or a bonus because of this calamity, you must be able to recover all those potential losses.  As mentioned earlier, a workplace injury can have a long-lasting impact on a victim’s physical or mental health.

Therefore, it is essential to record all the expenses, including medical bills. Keep in mind to send copies of your receipts to your Charlotte workers’ compensation lawyer.

Consult With a Charlotte Worker’s Compensation Lawyer:

Several areas need to be covered in a workers’ compensation case. If you are suffering from workplace injury and want to make a compensation claim, you are welcome to get the assistance of our experienced personal injury lawyer in Charlotte.

Without any further delay, schedule your free consultation with our experts.