Your life and financial circumstances can be thrown into chaos in a matter of moments if you suffer an injury that leads you to take a period away from work or means that you can’t return at all if the accident is severe and life-changing.
It can be challenging to think straight in such traumatic circumstances. That is an excellent reason to get some injury lawyers on your side to help ensure that you receive the medical and financial help you are entitled to.
There are also some important ground rules and protocols that you should follow in the immediate aftermath of an accident at work. It is good to know what these are because agreeing to something that is not in your best interests could jeopardize the success of your claim.
Make sure you report your injury straight away.
There are various compelling reasons why you should report the full details of your accident immediately after the incident.Make sure you are aware of your employer’s procedures for reporting an accident and follow that protocol strictly to ensure compliance with these requirements.
Quite clearly, if you have suffered a bad injury and need to go straight to the hospital, filing a report is unlikely to be one of your immediate priorities.
The general period allowed to file a report to your employer is ten days, and you should aim to get details of your injuries and the circumstances surrounding the accident filed well before this deadline.
It matters to follow these rules as it could harm your claim if you fail to report the incident promptly.
Make sure you get medical attention.
It would be a wise strategy to accept any offer of medical treatment and follow any treatment program that is suggested to help your recovery and rehabilitation process.Another point to remember is that you are generally not obliged to see a doctor of your employer’s choosing. It would be much more preferable to get an independent medical assessment.
Your chosen physician will be able to evaluate the extent of your injuries and confirm whether you are fit to return to work and whether your condition prevents you from doing this.
Record all of your medical costs and how many workdays you miss.
Your focus will be on recovering and getting treatment for your injuries, but aim to find the time to keep on top of what you are spending on medical expenses and how much in wages you have missed out on.
Documented evidence of how much the injury has cost you will help support your claim for compensation later.
Get some professional help.
Last but not least, you should seek a lawyer to handle your injury claim.Claims for compensation relating to work-related injuries can be complex affairs, and it only takes one mistake—where you say or do the wrong thing—to give your employer or their lawyer the opportunity to either deny or greatly reduce the value of your claim.
You need to focus on recovering from your injuries. Putting your case in the hands of a professional who knows how to file a claim and negotiate a settlement will take away a lot of hassle you don’t need at such a difficult time.
