Although your workplace should be safe, unpleasant circumstances can occur, causing you to sustain injuries. This is more common than you may imagine, as about 2.3 million people worldwide succumb to work-related injuries yearly. You should take several actions if you have been involved in an accident at work to support your chances of recovering and filing a successful claim. This article highlights personal steps you can take after a workplace accident.
1. Get medical help
If you are involved in an accident at your workplace, getting medical aid should be your priority. If your injuries are severe, an ambulance should be called right away. However, in all cases, the designated first aider on duty should tend to you while you wait for a medical professional to examine your wounds, as the law requires in every workplace. If you go to the hospital immediately after the accident, a friend, family member, or coworker should accompany you. It is usually advised to have a doctor look at your injuries, even if they seem minor on the surface, to rule out any ailments that might not be apparent.
2. Take pictures and videos as proof
Pictures and videos of your injuries and the accident scene will support your claim. This will prove to your personal injury lawyer that your accident was brought on by unsafe working or defective tools. Your attorney may utilize medical documents and photos demonstrating the full degree of your injuries to estimate the worth of your claim. Have a trustworthy colleague snap photographs of the incident scene on your behalf if you cannot do so yourself. Send copies of the images to yourself and your employer.
3. Inform your employer about the accident
It is crucial to inform your boss about the event and ensure that the specifics are appropriately noted in the workplace accident log. Write down what happened and give a copy to your HR department if your workplace doesn’t have an accident log book. Keep one copy for yourself as well. Your employer must notify the health and safety executive of the occurrence if your injuries are severe. Use the documentation and evidence of what occurred to you if you report your accident to your employer, which may be used to support your personal injury claim if you decide to file one. You can protect others from having a similar experience by reporting the accident. Employers should enhance their health and safety systems and protocols based on what was discovered as the cause of your accident, and if necessary, remove or rectify faulty or hazardous materials.
4. Obtain the names and phone numbers of any witnesses
Obtain the names and phone numbers of anyone who saw what happened. If feasible, request a written statement from them as soon as possible while they still remember the specifics of the occurrence. The testimony of witnesses will be crucial evidence in any subsequent claims made in your favor. Confirming that their description of what transpired is truthful and correct is crucial.
5. Keeping a symptom journal will help
No matter how little your symptoms may appear, note them all. After an accident, many people remember the symptoms of their severe injuries. However, there are situations when small wounds can develop into serious illnesses that will have a lasting effect on your health. Moreover, your symptom journal can also work as a document to support your case, so keep this in mind.
6. Record your expenditures and losses
Keeping track of your costs and losses is crucial if your ailments have prevented you from working. This will be considered by your attorney when determining the merits of your claim. This may include financial loss brought on by being unable to work, the cost of getting to and from medical visits, prescription drug costs, money lost due to postponing planned vacations, any fees you have incurred, and any modifications you have had to make to your house or car.
7. Do not talk to the call center representative
When submitting a workers’ compensation claim, it is best to consult with an attorney directly unless you trust the call center representative. Of course, if you are unsatisfied with one attorney’s services, you can change counsel.
Sustaining an injury at work can be frustrating, especially if it keeps you out of work for a long time. However, you can take the right steps to get your deserved compensation. Hopefully, you’ll consider those stated above for the best results.
