What You Should Do If You Were Injured on Your Job

By Allen Brown

Accidents happen often and can happen to anyone and anywhere, including when you are at work. Some jobs are more dangerous than others, and there are visible and known risks that you should be aware of and receive appropriate training to avoid injury. However, there is always a possibility of being injured at work, even if you work in a fairly calm office environment.

Being injured is never ideal, but when it happens at work, it can be difficult to know what to do if you are not prepared for the incident. Most people feel awkward about the situation, and if the injury is minor, they may pretend it never happened. For this reason, it is important that you know what steps to take in the case of an accident at work.

In this article, we will discuss what you should do if you were injured on your job so that you are aware of what to do in this situation.

Call Emergency Services

When injured, your very first priority should be to ensure that you are physically okay and in good health. Depending on the severity of the work-related injury you have suffered, you may have to call emergency services to the location of the accident so that you can get assistance as soon as possible. If you do not deem this as necessary, you should still visit the local emergency department so that you can get checked. Many accidents can result in internal injuries that people do not even realize they have until it is too late. Additionally, medical records will also act as evidence of the accident and your injuries, should you decide to claim compensation.

Take Notes

Memory can be tricky, particularly after a traumatic moment. It is a good idea that you take as many notes as you possibly can when you are able to do so. Write down key notes of the incident, how it occurred, and whose fault it is, as you comprehend it. This is important as your memory will be fresh then, as you are more likely to forget details of the event once some time has passed.

Report the Incident

Another important step is to report the incident. This should be with your team lead or supervisor or even the health and safety leadership in your job. At every job, there should be an appointed person that can deal with health and safety assessments as well as incidents. They will be able to record this officially and guide you on your next steps as well as support you through this process.

Speak with a Lawyer

As briefly mentioned before, you may choose to claim compensation after being a victim of a personal injury. As you may be aware, there is a range of different attorneys, and you should consult with work cover lawyers as they will be more knowledgeable in this particular field. If the accident was not your fault, the law representative can support you to file for compensation, which can help you financially as you recover from the accident. Doing this may be seen as costly, but it will increase your chances of success on your legal case.

Take Photos of the Incident

If you are healthy and well enough after the accident has taken place, make sure to take photos of the scene. This will help identify the causes behind the accident as well as what happened to you afterward. This is a crucial step, particularly if the responsible party is denying negligence and culpability, or arguing that you are the one at fault.

Speak with Witnesses

If you are at work, it is probable that you will have colleagues around you – you can ask them to provide a statement of the events as they have seen. If their version matches yours, you are more likely to achieve a positive outcome in court if your case gets there. If you have no colleagues around you, look for any member of the public that may have witnessed your accident and approach them to see whether they would be willing to provide a statement.

Take Time Off and Rest

Being injured in an accident should not be taken lightly, as you can develop serious health issues, from physical to emotional. Make sure that you do not rush to get back to work and take the time off to get some rest and recover from the event. If you go back too soon, you risk potentially worsening your condition or even finding that you are emotionally scarred from the accident.

If you find yourself involved in an accident at work, it is important that you know exactly what you should do. Make sure to follow the tips discussed on this page, so that you can deal with this situation more successfully.