Got Injured At Work? Here Is What You Need To Do

By Allen Brown

Accidents are a pretty common occurrence in a workplace, so it’s important to know how to file a compensation claim for an injury. The consequences resulting from a sudden injury might include not being able to work and could cause a financial issue for you and your family. In such cases, you may want to consider the help of a worker’s compensation attorney to seek compensation for medical bills and missed wages incurred. If you get into such a situation due to an injury at work, here's what you need to do:

Things To Do When You Get Injured At Work

Step 1: Report the injury

Injured employees must report their physical injury to their employer with no delays. There have been several cases where insurance companies refuse to compensate for workers’ injuries if the damage to the victim’s injury is not promptly reported.

Step 2: Let the health care professional know that the injury happened at work

The medical care provider must know that the injury occurred at work. It’s also crucial that the medical professional record your statement in the medical notes, as this will serve as evidence at the time of a claim. People at Matt Fendon Law Group state that insurance agencies that handle workers’ compensation often refuse to provide coverage where there is no proof of a work injury in the medical notes. So, you mustn’t miss out on getting this important information documented while visiting the doctor.

Step 3. Provide a written note to the employer

Besides informing the doctor, it is also essential that a written note of the injury is presented to the employer. You can do a written note in a legal form that provides the details with a date and a brief description. Offering this statement to the employer can help strengthen your chances for a workers’ compensation claim. Before submitting the form, make sure you have a copy for your own records. You can check out reliable online sources to help you decide which is the right form for your region.

Generating this important document is another place where it would be wise to take the help of a worker’s compensation attorney. They can guide you through the whole process and assist you in filling out all the required forms for legal obligations. You should never delay when it comes to filling out these forms for a claim, or insurance companies could deny providing compensation for the injury.

Step 4. Keep track of all the data related to missed work days, commuting, and other expenses

Keeping track of all the days you have missed due to your work-related injury is highly recommended as it will help get fair compensation during the claim. The injured employee can start receiving weekly payments, replacing the usual wages after he/she stops working. As an injured employee, you should also keep track of any travel expenses, like visiting the medical care center for medication, bandages, and such. You might need to get in touch with a professional lawyer who can guide you through all the procedures involved in a worker’s compensation claim to know what to track.

Why Take the Help of a Workers’ Compensation Claim Lawyer?

It can be stressful and confusing to navigate through the process involving a successful workers’ compensation claim on your own. Often a person doesn't have the time or knowledge to handle this stress on their own, in which case, we recommend hiring the right attorney. A worker's compensation lawyer will not only guide you through the process and reduce your stress, but in or out of court, they can defend you against insurance adjusters who know how to turn the recorded statements against you in your compensation claim.

On top of that and as mentioned above, it's vital that you take care of filling out the correct forms, providing statements, and sharing proof that you were injured at work. With so much involved, it’s natural to lose track of everything. Workers’ compensation lawyers are trained professionals who have to deal with this kind of work every day. Using them to your advantage can help your chances of getting the claim settled in your favor.

Hiring a legal professional to help you throughout the case also gives you a sense of relief from the troubles that insurers often seem to cause. Living for days with an injury, with no fair compensation, can be hard on you and your family as well. So when you know you have someone by your side every step of the way, it becomes easier to fight the battle.

Ensure you follow the steps above and keep them in mind while claiming an injury at work. Even if someone you know got injured at work, inform that person to do the right thing before the time runs out. Also, make sure that you understand what rules are applicable in your area, and procure a professional attorney to help you out before you run into snags.