Getting hurt, no matter where you are is a horrible experience. If you add to that the fact that you were hurt doing your work, or because of another employee or your employer’s carelessness, then the experience becomes even worse and more frustrating. Getting hurt while doing your job is especially frustrating because you may lose work hours, not to mention having to get medical treatment for the injury you sustained. Unfortunately, not many people know what they need to do after they get hurt at work and, thus, lose many of their rights and are stuck with debts due to medical treatment. You do not have to worry about this anymore because here is a list of tips to follow if you ever get injured in the workplace or while doing something work-related.
Try to Note Down as Many Details as You Can
This can be a hard step to follow, but it is going to help you later on, especially if you were hurt due to someone’s carelessness or if you were working under dangerous conditions when you got hurt. If you are struggling to recall details of the incident, you can ask witnesses for their account of what happened. If your workplace has video recordings where you were injured, try to get them to have as evidence to support your claim later on and get the compensation you deserve.
Seek Immediate Medical Attention
If you are able to, contact a doctor or have an ambulance pick you up as soon as possible so that you can receive proper medical attention. If you are not able to reach a phone, ask someone around you to contact emergency responders. Even if you believe you didn’t get hurt that badly and do not need medical treatment, it is advised to get checked by a professional, because sometimes you feel the effects of a spill or an accident later on. Not seeking immediate medical help can also weaken your legal case for compensation since it will convey the message that your injuries weren’t serious, even if they actually were.
Look for a Reliable Personal Injury Lawyer
While most of the time your company’s insurance is going to give you relatively fair compensation for your injuries, sometimes insurance companies sweep such cases under the rug and you will be left with a heaping pile of medical bills. This is why you need to look for a reliable personal injury lawyer, even if you have a feeling that your employer’s insurance policy is going to give you compensation for the injury. A personal injury lawyer is going to represent your case in negotiations with the insurance company and get you the highest possible compensation, not just for your physical injury but also for the emotional and mental trauma you went through. If you do not know where you can find a good personal injury lawyer, you can start by looking online and refine the search by city. For example, if you live in Virginia, search for a personal injury lawyer in Charlottesville to find the closest, best personal injury lawyers near you. It’s important to do a bit of digging and find out what other people have to say about this firm or lawyer to see how reliable they are and what kind of reputation they have to ensure that you’re placing your trust in the right hands.
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Notify Your Employer ASAP
Depending on where you work and what country/state you live in, the law differs on how much time you have to notify your employer of a work-related injury that you sustained. To stay on the safe side, try to notify your employer as soon as you can, especially if the injury is going to prevent you from working for the foreseeable future. This step is very important because your employer will need to notify their insurance company so they can start procedures and investigations to determine if you are going to be compensated, and with how much.
Keep a Copy of all Medical Records and Bills
This is something that any good lawyer will tell you to do. You need to have a copy of all the medical records and doctor’s notes that you were given when you were receiving medical treatment. This will act as evidence to support your case. You also need all the medical bills so that your lawyer can tally it all up and have a figure in mind to ask for from your employer or responsible party.
Now you have five clear, simple steps to follow if you are ever unfortunate enough to get hurt at work. All you need to do after these steps is to focus on your recovery and wait for your compensation. The most important thing is to remember these steps and follow them to ensure that you get the compensation you deserve.
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